Fraud is a pernicious problem for companies of all shapes and sizes. One broad type of crime that seems to be thriving as of late is invoice fraud.
In the second quarter of 2024, accounts payable software provider Medius released the results of a survey of 1,533 senior finance executives in the United States and United Kingdom. Respondents reported that their teams had seen, on average, 13 cases of attempted invoice fraud and nine cases of successful invoice fraud in the preceding 12 months. The average per-incident loss in the United States was $133,000 — which adds up to about $1.2 million annually.

Typical Schemes

Invoice fraud can be perpetrated in various ways. Among the most common varieties is fraudulent billing. In billing schemes, a real or fake vendor sends an invoice for goods or services that the business never received — and may not have ordered in the first place.
Overbilling schemes are similar. Your company may have received goods it ordered, but the vendor’s invoice is higher than agreed upon. Duplicate billing, on the other hand, is where a fraud perpetrator sends you the same invoice more than once, even though you’ve already paid.
Employees sometimes commit invoice fraud as well. This can happen when a manager approves payments for personal purchases. In other cases, a manager might create fictitious vendors, issue invoices from the fake vendors and approve the invoices for payment.
Such schemes generally are more successful when employees collude. For example, one perpetrator might work in receiving and the other in accounts payable. Or a receiving worker might collude with a vendor or other outside party.

Best Practices

The good news is there are some best practices that businesses can follow to discourage would-be perpetrators and catch those who try to commit invoice fraud. These include:

Know with whom you’re doing business. Verify the identity of any new supplier or vendor before working with that entity. Research its ownership, operating history, registered address and customer reviews. Also, ask for references so you can contact other companies that can vouch for its legitimacy.

Follow a thorough approval process. Establish a firm “no rubber stamp” policy for invoices. Train accounts payable staff to review them for red flags, such as unexpected changes in the amounts due or unusual payment terms. Manual alterations to an invoice should require additional scrutiny, as should the first several invoices from new vendors.
Instruct employees to contact an issuing vendor if anything seems strange or inaccurate about its invoice. In cases where the response lacks credibility or raises additional concerns, your business should decline to pay until the matter is resolved.

Implement additional antifraud controls as well. For instance, before approving payment, accounts payable staff should confirm with your receiving department that goods were delivered and check invoices against previous ones from the same vendor to ensure there are no discrepancies. Also, you may want to require more than one person to approve certain invoices for payment — such as those at or above a specified amount.

Leverage technology. Automating your accounts payable process can help prevent and detect invoice fraud. And, as you might expect, artificial intelligence (AI) is having an impact here.
One AI-driven technology called optical character recognition (OCR) can scan and read invoices to verify that line items and charged amounts match those vendors quoted you per your company’s financial records. OCR minimizes employee intervention, hinders collusion and makes diverting payments to personal accounts harder.

Decisive action

As the aforementioned survey indicates, invoice fraud is likely widespread. Be sure to put policies and procedures in place to prevent it as well as to respond swiftly and decisively if you suspect wrongdoing. Our firm can help you assess your accounts payable processes for efficiency, completeness and security.

© 2024

Electric vehicles (EVs) have become increasingly popular. According to Kelley Blue Book estimates, the EV share of the vehicle market in the U.S. was 7.6% in 2023, up from 5.9% in 2022. To incentivize the purchase of EVs, there’s a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for eligible vehicles.

The tax break for EVs and fuel cell vehicles is called the Clean Vehicle Tax Credit. The current version of the credit was created under the Inflation Reduction Act. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions.

Which Vehicles Qualify For The Credit?

To qualify for the full $7,500, there are several requirements. For example:

 

Are The Most Expensive EVs Eligible For The Credit?

No. The vehicle’s manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) can’t exceed:

Are There Income Limits For The Buyer?

Yes. To qualify for the new vehicle credit, your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) can’t exceed $300,000 for married couples filing jointly, $225,000 for taxpayers filing as heads of households or $150,000 for other filers.

 

How Is The Credit Claimed?

There are two ways. When we prepare your tax return, we’ll file Form 8936 with it. Alternatively, beginning in 2024, you can choose to transfer the credit to an eligible dealer when you buy a vehicle, which will effectively reduce the vehicle’s purchase price by the credit amount. If you don’t transfer the credit, it’s “nonrefundable” so you can’t get back more on the credit than you owe in taxes. And you can’t apply any excess credit to future tax years.

 

Does a Used EV Qualify For a Tax Credit?

Yes, but it’s not worth as much as the credit for new vehicle and the income limits are lower. Beginning January 1, 2023, if you buy a qualified used EV or fuel cell vehicle from a licensed dealer for $25,000 or less, you may be eligible for a credit of up to $4,000. Your MAGI can’t exceed $150,000 for married couples filing jointly, $112,500 for taxpayers filing as heads of households or $75,000 for other filers.

 

Check Before You Buy

If you’re interested in purchasing an EV, the tax credit can be a powerful incentive. But before you buy, make sure you meet all the eligibility requirements so you’re not disappointed. Many taxpayers and vehicles don’t qualify. Contact us for assistance.

© 2024

With Labor Day in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take proactive steps that may help lower your small business’s taxes for this year and next. The strategy of deferring income and accelerating deductions to minimize taxes can be effective for most businesses, as is the approach of bunching deductible expenses into this year or next to maximize their tax value.

Do you expect to be in a higher tax bracket next year? If so, then opposite strategies may produce better results. For example, you could pull income into 2024 to be taxed at lower rates, and defer deductible expenses until 2025, when they can be claimed to offset higher-taxed income.

Here are some other ideas that may help you save tax dollars if you act soon.

Estimated taxes

Make sure you make the last two estimated tax payments to avoid penalties. The third quarter payment for 2024 is due on September 16, 2024, and the fourth quarter payment is due on January 15, 2025.

QBI Deduction

Taxpayers other than corporations may be entitled to a deduction of up to 20% of their qualified business income (QBI). For 2024, if taxable income exceeds $383,900 for married couples filing jointly (half that amount for other taxpayers), the deduction may be limited based on whether the taxpayer is engaged in a service-type business (such as law, health or consulting), the amount of W-2 wages paid by the business, and/or the unadjusted basis of qualified property (such as machinery and equipment) held by the business. The limitations are phased in.

Taxpayers may be able to salvage some or all of the QBI deduction (or be subject to a smaller deduction phaseout) by deferring income or accelerating deductions to keep income under the dollar thresholds. You also may be able increase the deduction by increasing W-2 wages before year end. The rules are complex, so consult us before acting.

Cash vs. Accrual Accounting

More small businesses are able to use the cash (rather than the accrual) method of accounting for federal tax purposes than were allowed to do so in previous years. To qualify as a small business under current law, a taxpayer must (among other requirements) satisfy a gross receipts test. For 2024, it’s satisfied if, during the three prior tax years, average annual gross receipts don’t exceed $30 million. Cash method taxpayers may find it easier to defer income by holding off on billing until next year, paying bills early or making certain prepayments.

Section 179 Deduction

Consider making expenditures that qualify for the Section 179 expensing option. For 2024, the expensing limit is $1.22 million, and the investment ceiling limit is $3.05 million. Expensing is generally available for most depreciable property (other than buildings) including equipment, off-the-shelf computer software, interior improvements to a building, HVAC and security systems.

The high dollar ceilings mean that many small and midsize businesses will be able to currently deduct most or all of their outlays for machinery and equipment. What’s more, the deduction isn’t prorated for the time an asset is in service during the year. Even if you place eligible property in service by the last days of 2024, you can claim a full deduction for the year.

Bonus Depreciation

For 2024, businesses also can generally claim a 60% bonus first-year depreciation deduction for qualified improvement property and machinery and equipment bought new or used, if purchased and placed in service this year. As with the Sec. 179 deduction, the write-off is available even if qualifying assets are only in service for a few days in 2024.

Upcoming Tax Law Changes

These are just some year-end strategies that may help you save taxes. Contact us to customize a plan that works for you. In addition, it’s important to stay informed about any changes that could affect your business’s taxes. In the next couple years, tax laws will be changing. Many tax breaks, including the QBI deduction, are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025. Plus, the outcome of the presidential and congressional elections could result in new or repealed tax breaks.

© 2024

Every business needs a budget, but not every budget looks the same. Some companies have intricately detailed ones, others rely on simple templates generated with off-the shelf software, and still others forego formal budgets in favor of a “fly by the seat of your pants” approach. (That last option isn’t recommended.)

Because budgeting is such an essential part of running a business, it’s easy to take for granted. You may fall into a routine that, over time, doesn’t keep up with your company’s evolving needs. To identify areas of improvement, here are six key elements of a business budget and some best practices to consider:

1. Current Overview. You may think you’ve created a sound budget, but its usefulness will be limited if it’s based on what your business looked like and how it operated five years ago. Compose an up-to-date description of your business. This should include its strategic goals, sales targets, the state of your industry and market, and impactful economic factors.

2. Budget Rationale. Explain in clear language how the budget supports your company’s mission, vision, values, goals and objectives. To be included in the budget, every line item (see below) must support all five of those factors. If one doesn’t, question its merit.

3. Detailed Line Items. Naturally, the “meat” of every budget is its line items. These typically include:

An important question to ask is: Are we including everything the business spends money on? Although maintaining a detailed budget can be tedious, it’s imperative to managing cash flow.

4. Selected Performance Metrics. Among the primary purposes of a budget is to compare projected spending to actual spending — making adjustments as necessary. As part of the budgeting process, establish precisely which metrics you’ll use to determine whether you’re making, breaking or beating the budget.

5. Supporting Appendices. Discuss with your leadership team whether your budget would be more useful with additional information. Commonly attached supporting appendices include historical budget and results analyses, department spending summaries, tables and graphs depicting market and cost trends, organizational charts, and glossaries of terminology.

6. Executive Summary. This brief written snapshot, which usually appears at the very top of the budget report, is intended to provide a concise overview of the chief objectives and major sections of the budget. If you’re not already using one, consider it. For you and other internal users, an executive summary can serve as a quick reference and help you set your expectations. Perhaps more important, it can make your budget easier to understand for outside parties such as lenders and investors.

Your current budget may not include all six of these elements — and that’s OK. As mentioned, companies are free to create budgets in whatever format suits their size and needs. But you should approach budgeting with an eye on continuous improvement. And to that end, please contact us. We can assess your budgeting process from start to finish and suggest ways to perform this critical business function more efficiently and effectively.

© 2024

Partnerships are often used for business and investment activities. So are multi-member LLCs that are treated as partnerships for tax purposes. A major reason is that these entities offer federal income tax advantages, the most important of which is pass-through taxation. They also must follow some special and sometimes complicated federal income tax rules.

Governing Documents

A partnership is governed by a partnership agreement, which specifies the rights and obligations of the entity and its partners. Similarly, an LLC is governed by an operating agreement, which specifies the rights and obligations of the entity and its members. These governing documents should address certain tax-related issues. Here are some key points when creating partnership and LLC governing documents.

Partnership Tax Basics

The tax numbers of a partnership are allocated to the partners. The entity issues an annual Schedule K-1 to each partner to report his or her share of the partnership’s tax numbers for the year. The partnership itself doesn’t pay federal income tax. This arrangement is called pass-through taxation, because the tax numbers from the partnership’s operations are passed through to the partners who then take them into account on their own tax returns (Form 1040 for individual partners).

Partners can deduct partnership losses passed through to them, subject to various federal income tax limitations such as the passive loss rules.

Special Tax Allocations

Partnerships are allowed to make special tax allocations. This is an allocation of partnership loss, deduction, income or gain among the partners that’s disproportionate to the partners’ overall ownership interests. The best measure of a partner’s overall ownership interest is the partner’s stated interest in the entity’s distributions and capital, as specified in the partnership agreement. An example of a special tax allocation is when a 50% high-tax-bracket partner is allocated 80% of the partnership’s depreciation deductions while the 50% low-tax-bracket partner is allocated only 20% of the depreciation deductions.

Any special tax allocations should be set forth in the partnership agreement. However, to make valid special tax allocations, you must comply with complicated rules in IRS regulations.

Distributions To Pay Partnership-Related Tax Bills

Partners must recognize taxable income for their allocations of partnership income and gains — whether those income and gains are distributed as cash to the partners or not. Therefore, a common partnership agreement provision is one that calls for the partnership to make cash distributions to help partners cover their partnership-related tax liabilities. Of course, those liabilities will vary, depending on the partners’ specific tax circumstances. The partnership agreement should specify the protocols that will be used to calculate distributions intended to help cover partnership-related tax bills.

For instance, the protocol for long-term capital gains might call for distributions equal to 15% or 20% of each partner’s allocation of the gains.

Such distributions may be paid out in early April of each year to help cover partners’ tax liabilities from their allocations of income and gains from the previous year.

Contact us for assistance

When putting together a partnership or LLC deal, tax issues should be addressed in the agreement. Contact us to be involved in the process.

© 2024

Your businesses may have a choice between using the cash or accrual method of accounting for tax purposes. The cash method often provides significant tax benefits for those that qualify. However, some businesses may be better off using the accrual method. Therefore, you need to evaluate the tax accounting method for your business to ensure that it’s the most beneficial approach.

The Current Situation

“Small businesses,” as defined by the tax code, are generally eligible to use either cash or accrual accounting for tax purposes. (Some businesses may also be eligible to use various hybrid approaches.) Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) took effect, the gross receipts threshold for classification as a small business varied from $1 million to $10 million depending on how a business was structured, its industry and whether inventory was a material income-producing factor.

The TCJA simplified the definition of a small business by establishing a single gross receipts threshold. It also increased the threshold to $25 million (adjusted for inflation), expanding the benefits of small business status to many more companies. For 2024, a small business is one whose average annual gross receipts for the three-year period ending before the 2024 tax year are $30 million or less (up from $29 million in 2023).

In addition to eligibility for the cash method of accounting, small businesses enjoy simplified inventory accounting, exemption from the uniform capitalization rules and the business interest deduction limit, and several other tax advantages. Be aware that some businesses are eligible for cash accounting even if their gross receipts are above the threshold, including S corporations, partnerships without any C corporation partners, farming businesses and certain personal service corporations. Also, tax shelters are ineligible for the cash method, regardless of size.

Potential Advantages

For most businesses, the cash method provides significant tax advantages. Because cash-basis businesses recognize income when it’s received and deduct expenses when they’re paid, they have greater control over the timing of income and deductions. For example, they can defer income by delaying invoices until the following tax year or shift deductions into the current year by accelerating the payment of expenses.

In contrast, accrual-basis businesses recognize income when it’s earned and deduct expenses when they’re incurred, without regard to the timing of cash receipts or payments. That means they have little flexibility to time the recognition of income or expenses for income tax purposes.

The cash method also provides cash flow benefits. Because income is taxed in the year it’s received, it helps ensure that a business has the funds it needs to pay its tax bill.

For some businesses, however, the accrual method may be preferable. For instance, if a company’s accrued income tends to be lower than its accrued expenses, the accrual method may result in lower tax liability than the cash method. Other potential advantages of using the accrual method include the abilities to deduct year-end bonuses paid within the first 2½ months of the following tax year and to defer taxes on certain advance payments.

Issues When Switching Methods

Even if your business would enjoy a tax advantage by switching from the accrual method to the cash method, or vice versa, it’s important to consider the administrative costs involved in making the change. For example, if your business prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), it’s required to use the accrual method for financial reporting purposes.

Does that mean you can’t use the cash method for tax purposes? No, but it would require the business to maintain two sets of books. Changing accounting methods for tax purposes may also require IRS approval. Contact us to learn more about each method.

© 2024

Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) are a powerful tool for businesses and their employees. They offer a pathway for business owners to transition out of their companies smoothly and provide significant tax benefits that can enhance the financial well-being of both the company and its employees. This article will break down how ESOPs work, the tax advantages they offer, and how they can be strategically used in business succession planning.

What is an ESOP?

An ESOP is a retirement plan that allows employees to own stock in the company they work for. Unlike traditional retirement plans such as 401(k)s, which typically invest in a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and other assets, ESOPs invest primarily in the employer’s stock. This unique structure turns employees into stakeholders, aligning their interests with the company’s long-term success.

How Does an ESOP Work?

Here’s how an ESOP generally operates:

 

Tax Benefits for the Business

  1. Tax Deductibility: Stock contributions to the ESOP are tax-deductible, which can significantly reduce the company’s taxable income. Additionally, if the company borrows money to fund the ESOP’s purchase of shares, the principal and interest payments on the loan are also tax-deductible.
  2. Tax-Deferred Growth: The company’s contributions to the ESOP trust are not taxed until employees withdraw their shares, usually at retirement. This allows the assets within the ESOP to grow tax-deferred, potentially increasing the plan’s overall value.
  3. Capital Gains Tax Deferral: For C corporations, when the business owners sell their shares to an ESOP, they may defer capital gains taxes if the proceeds are reinvested in qualified securities within a specified timeframe. This is a Section 1042 rollover and can be a powerful tool for business owners looking to exit without incurring immediate tax liabilities.

 

Tax Benefits for Employees

  1. No Immediate Tax on Contributions: Employees do not pay taxes on the shares allocated to them in their ESOP accounts until they take a distribution, typically at retirement. This allows the value of the shares to compound over time without the drag of annual taxation.
  2. Potential for Capital Gains Treatment: When employees eventually sell the stock they receive from the ESOP, they may be eligible for capital gains tax treatment on the appreciation of the shares, which is typically lower than ordinary income tax rates.
  3. Tax-Deferred Growth: Like other retirement plans, ESOPs allow for tax-deferred growth of the assets within the plan, giving employees the potential to accumulate significant wealth over time.

 

ESOPs as a Tool for Business Succession Planning

An ESOP can be an ideal succession strategy for business owners looking to retire or transition out of their business. By selling shares to an ESOP, owners can gradually transfer ownership to employees while retaining business control during the transition period. This can be especially beneficial in privately held companies, where finding an outside buyer might be challenging or where the owners want to ensure the business stays in the hands of trusted employees.

Moreover, because ESOPs provide significant tax advantages, the company may have more cash flow available to fund growth, pay down debt, or reinvest in the business, making it a financially attractive option for succession planning.

The Importance of Professional Guidance

While the benefits of ESOPs are substantial, they are complex financial instruments that require careful planning and execution. Establishing and maintaining an ESOP involves legal, financial, and administrative considerations that professionals should handle. Therefore, business owners and employees alike must consult with a CPA or financial advisor who is experienced in ESOPs to ensure that the plan is set up and managed to maximize the potential benefits while minimizing risks.

In conclusion, ESOPs offer a win-win situation for both business owners and employees, providing a flexible and tax-advantaged way to transition ownership while aligning the interests of the company and its workers. However, as with any complex financial strategy, proper guidance from a CPA or financial advisor is essential to maximize this opportunity.

Financial ratios are essential tools that help business owners understand their company’s financial health. Analyzing these ratios allows you to make more informed decisions that drive growth, manage risk, and ensure long-term sustainability. Understanding key financial ratios can provide valuable insights whether you’re considering a new investment, evaluating your company’s performance, or planning for the future.

What Are Financial Ratios?

Financial ratios are calculations derived from a company’s financial statements, such as the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. These ratios help business owners and managers assess the company’s financial health, including liquidity, profitability, leverage, and efficiency.

Key Financial Ratios and Their Importance

Here are some of the most important financial ratios that every business owner should understand:

1. Liquidity Ratios

Liquidity ratios measure a company’s ability to meet its short-term obligations, indicating how well a business can cover its immediate debts with its current assets.

    • Current Ratio: The current ratio is calculated by dividing current assets by current liabilities. A current ratio of 1 or higher typically indicates that a company has enough assets to cover its short-term liabilities. For example, a current ratio of 2 means the company has twice as many current assets as current liabilities, which generally suggests good liquidity.
    • Quick Ratio (Acid-Test Ratio): The quick ratio is similar to the current ratio but excludes inventory from current assets. This is because inventory might not be as easily converted into cash. The quick ratio provides a stricter measure of liquidity, focusing on the most liquid assets, such as cash and receivables.

Why It Matters: Maintaining healthy liquidity ratios ensures your business can handle short-term financial challenges, such as paying suppliers, covering payroll, or dealing with unexpected expenses.

2. Profitability Ratios

Profitability ratios evaluate how efficiently a company generates profit relative to its revenue, assets, or equity.

    • Gross Profit Margin: This ratio is calculated by dividing gross profit (revenue minus the cost of goods sold) by revenue. It indicates the percentage of revenue that exceeds the cost of goods sold, reflecting the efficiency of production and pricing strategies.
    • Net Profit Margin: The net profit margin is the percentage of revenue that remains as profit after all expenses, including taxes and interest, have been deducted. It provides insight into the overall profitability of the business.
    • Return on Assets (ROA): ROA measures how efficiently a company uses its assets to generate profit. It is calculated by dividing net income by total assets. A higher ROA indicates better asset utilization.

Why It Matters: Understanding profitability ratios helps you assess the effectiveness of your business strategies, pricing, and cost control measures. High profitability ratios can make your business more attractive to investors and lenders.

3. Leverage Ratios

Leverage ratios assess the degree to which a company uses borrowed money (debt) to finance its operations and growth.

    • Debt-to-Equity Ratio: This ratio is calculated by dividing total debt by shareholders’ equity. It shows the proportion of debt relative to equity, indicating how much leverage the company is using. A higher debt-to-equity ratio suggests that the company is more heavily financed by debt, which can increase financial risk.
    • Interest Coverage Ratio: The interest coverage ratio is calculated by dividing earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) by interest expenses. It indicates how easily a company can pay interest on its outstanding debt. A higher ratio suggests that the company is more capable of meeting its interest obligations.

Why It Matters: Leverage ratios help you understand the financial risk of borrowing. While debt can be a useful tool for growth, excessive leverage can strain your finances and increase the risk of default.

Using Financial Ratios in Decision-Making

Business owners can use financial ratios to make a wide range of decisions, including:

 

The Importance of Professional Guidance

While financial ratios are valuable tools, they should be part of a broader financial analysis. Ratios alone may not provide the full picture; interpreting them correctly requires experience and context. That’s why it’s crucial to consult a CPA or financial advisor when analyzing your company’s financial health. A professional can help you understand the implications of various ratios, provide insights tailored to your business, and guide you in making informed decisions.

In conclusion, financial ratios are indispensable tools that help steer your business in the right direction. By effectively understanding and applying these ratios, you can enhance your decision-making, optimize performance, and secure your company’s financial future. However, always consider reaching out to a CPA for expert guidance and to ensure you make the best possible business decisions.

Let’s say you own real estate that has been held for more than one year and is sold for a taxable gain. Perhaps this gain comes from indirect ownership of real estate via a pass-through entity such as an LLC, partnership or S corporation. You may expect to pay Uncle Sam the standard 15% or 20% federal income tax rate that usually applies to long-term capital gains from assets held for more than one year.

However, some real estate gains can be taxed at higher rates due to depreciation deductions. Here’s a rundown of the federal income tax issues that might be involved in real estate gains.

Vacant Land

The current maximum federal long-term capital gain tax rate for a sale of vacant land is 20%. The 20% rate only hits those with high incomes. Specifically, if you’re a single filer in 2024, the 20% rate kicks in when your taxable income, including any land sale gain and any other long-term capital gains, exceeds $518,900. For a married joint-filing couple, the 20% rate kicks in when taxable income exceeds $583,750. For a head of household, the 20% rate kicks when your taxable income exceeds $551,350. If your income is below the applicable threshold, you won’t owe more than 15% federal tax on a land sale gain. However, you may also owe the 3.8% net investment income tax (NIIT) on some or all of the gain.

Gains From Depreciation

Gain attributable to real estate depreciation calculated using the applicable straight-line method is called unrecaptured Section 1250 gain. This category of gain generally is taxed at a flat 25% federal rate, unless the gain would be taxed at a lower rate if it was simply included in your taxable income with no special treatment. You may also owe the 3.8% NIIT on some or all of the unrecaptured Section 1250 gain.

Gains From Depreciable Qualified Improvement Property

Qualified improvement property (QIP) generally means any improvement to an interior portion of a nonresidential building that’s placed in service after the date the building is placed in service. However, QIP does not include expenditures for the enlargement of the building, elevators, escalators or the building’s internal structural framework.

You can claim first-year Section 179 deductions or first-year bonus depreciation for QIP. When you sell QIP for which first-year Section 179 deductions have been claimed, gain up to the amount of the Section 179 deductions will be high-taxed Section 1245 ordinary income recapture. In other words, the gain will be taxed at your regular rate rather than at lower long-term gain rates. You may also owe the 3.8% NIIT on some or all of the Section 1245 recapture gain.

What if you sell QIP for which first-year bonus depreciation has been claimed? In this case, gain up to the excess of the bonus depreciation deduction over depreciation calculated using the applicable straight-line method will be high-taxed Section 1250 ordinary income recapture. Once again, the gain will be taxed at your regular rate rather than at lower long-term gain rates, and you may also owe the 3.8% NIIT on some or all of the recapture gain.

Tax planning point: If you opt for straight-line depreciation for real property, including QIP (in other words, you don’t claim first-year Section 179 or first-year bonus depreciation deductions), there won’t be any Section 1245 ordinary income recapture. There also won’t be any Section 1250 ordinary income recapture. Instead, you’ll only have unrecaptured Section 1250 gain from the depreciation, and that gain will be taxed at a federal rate of no more than 25%. However, you may also owe the 3.8% NIIT on all or part of the gain.

Plenty To Consider

As you can see, the federal income tax rules for gains from sales of real estate may be more complicated than you thought. Different tax rates can apply to different categories of gain. And you may also owe the 3.8% NIIT and possibly state income tax, too. We will handle the details when we prepare your tax return. Contact us with questions about your situation.

© 2024

While many facets of the economy have improved this year, the rising cost of living and other economic factors have caused many businesses to close their doors. If this is your situation, we can help you, including taking care of various tax responsibilities.

To start with, a business must file a final federal income tax return and some other related forms for the year it closes its doors. The type of return that must be filed depends on the type of business you have. For example:

Tying Up Loose Ends With Workers

If you have employees, you must pay them final wages and compensation owed, make final federal tax deposits and report employment taxes. Failure to withhold or deposit employee income, Social Security and Medicare taxes can result in full personal liability for what’s known as the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty.

If you’ve paid any contractors at least $600 during the calendar year in which you close your business, you must report those payments on Form 1099-NEC, “Nonemployee Compensation.”

You May Face More Obligations

If your business has a retirement plan for employees, you’ll generally need to terminate the plan and distribute benefits to participants. There are detailed notice, funding, timing and filing requirements that must be met when terminating a plan. There are also complex requirements related to flexible spending accounts, Health Savings Accounts, and other programs for employees.

We can assist you with many other complicated tax issues related to closing your business, including debt cancellation, use of net operating losses, freeing up any remaining passive activity losses, depreciation recapture, and possible bankruptcy issues.

You also must cancel your Employer Identification Number (EIN) and close your IRS business account. In addition, you need to keep business records for a certain amount of time.

If your business is unable to pay all the taxes it owes, we can explain the available payment options to you. Contact us to discuss these responsibilities and get answers to any questions.

© 2024

As a business owner, the Profit & Loss (P&L) report is one of your most vital tools. This financial statement gives a window into your business, revealing how your money is generated and spent. The main goal of the P&L report is to understand how your business has earned a net profit or incurred a loss and how to adjust your strategy accordingly. Love it or hate it, the P&L report is your company’s scorecard – and if you can read it well, it can guide your company toward sustainable growth. 

The Importance of P&L Reports 

P&L reports track a business’s revenue and expenses over a specific period, usually prepared monthly or quarterly. By showing a business’s net profit (or loss), the P&L report indicates the effectiveness of a company’s operations and sales strategy. This insight is crucial for making informed decisions and steering your business toward financial health. 

 The main categories found in a P&L report include: 

 These categories are divided into three main sections: revenues, COGS, and operational expenses. Each line item on a P&L falls under either a revenue or an expense account, collectively determining the bottom line. 

Types of Profit in a P&L Report 

Understanding the different types of profit presented in a P&L report can provide deeper insights into your business’s financial health. 

1. Gross Margin 

A company’s gross margin represents its profit before operating expenses. The gross margin reflects the core profitability of a company before overhead costs and shows the financial success of a product or service. It is also used to calculate the gross margin ratio, which is found by dividing the gross margin by total revenue. This ratio allows you to compare similar companies and the industry to determine relative profitability.  

Gross Margin = Revenue – COGS 

 A high gross margin indicates that a company retains a significant portion of revenue as profit after accounting for the cost of goods sold. This can indicate efficient production processes and strong pricing strategies. 

2. EBITDA 

EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, & Amortization) resembles free cash flow for most businesses. A company can see potential available cash by adding back interest, tax, and depreciation expenses to earnings. Since depreciation and amortization are non-cash items, they do not impact the health of a business’s cash flow. Therefore, EBITDA is an excellent metric for gauging cash flow in your P&L report. 

EBITDA = Net Income + Interest + Taxes + Depreciation + Amortization 

This metric helps business owners and investors understand a company’s true operational performance without the effects of capital structure, tax rates, and non-cash accounting decisions. 

3. Net Profit 

Net profit is the ultimate measure of a business’s profitability. It is calculated by taking a company’s revenue and subtracting COGS and all operational expenses. The result is net profit, which shows the business’s overall financial success. 

Net Profit = Revenue – (COGS + Operational Expenses + SG&A + Interest + Taxes) 

 Net profit is a critical indicator of the business’s ability to generate earnings after all expenses, which directly affects the company’s long-term sustainability and growth potential. 

P&L Report vs. Balance Sheet 

While creating your P&L report, it’s crucial to distinguish between an income statement and a balance sheet. Although different, they complement each other to provide a comprehensive financial picture. An income statement shows how profitable a business is over a given period, while a balance sheet provides a snapshot of assets and liabilities. These documents offer a complete view of your company’s financial health. 

Conclusion 

Understanding an organization’s P&L report is essential for analyzing profitability and growth. The basic equations underlying these reports are straightforward, and their organization is consistent across different businesses. By mastering the P&L report, you can make informed decisions that drive your business toward sustainable growth. 

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the third quarter of 2024. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements.

July 15

July 31

August 12

September 16

© 2024

With school out, you might be hiring your child to work at your company. In addition to giving your son or daughter some business knowledge, you and your child could reap some tax advantages.

Benefits For Your Child

There are special tax breaks for hiring your offspring if you operate your business as one of the following:

These entities can hire an owner’s under-age-18 children as full- or part-time employees. The children’s wages then will be exempt from the following federal payroll taxes:

In addition, your dependent employee-child’s standard deduction can shelter from federal income tax up to $14,600 of 2024 wages from your business.

Benefits For Your Business

When hiring your child, you get a business tax deduction for employee wage expense. The deduction reduces your federal income tax bill, your self-employment tax bill and your state income tax bill, if applicable.

Note: There are different rules for corporations. If you operate as a C or S corporation, your child’s wages are subject to Social Security, Medicare and FUTA taxes, like any other employee’s. However, you can deduct your child’s wages as a business expense on your corporation’s tax return, and your child can shelter the wages from federal income tax with the $14,600 standard deduction for single filers.

Traditional and Roth IRAs

No matter what type of business you operate, your child can contribute to an IRA or Roth IRA. With a Roth IRA, contributions are made with after-tax dollars. So, taxes are paid on the front end. After age 59½, the contributions and earnings that have accumulated in the account can be withdrawn free from federal income tax if the account has been open for more than five years.

In contrast, contributions to a traditional IRA are deductible, subject to income limits. So, unlike Roth contributions, deductible contributions to a traditional IRA lower the employee-child’s taxable income.

However, contributing to a Roth IRA is usually a much better idea for a young person than contributing to a traditional IRA for several reasons. Notably, your child probably won’t get any meaningful write-offs from contributing to a traditional IRA because the child’s standard deduction will shelter up to $14,600 of 2024 earned income. Any additional income will likely be taxed at very low rates.

In addition, your child can withdraw all or part of the annual Roth contributions — without any federal income tax or penalty — to pay for college or for any other reason. Of course, even though your child can withdraw Roth contributions without adverse tax consequences, the best strategy is to leave as much of the Roth balance as possible untouched until retirement to accumulate a larger tax-free sum.

The only tax law requirement for your child when making an annual Roth IRA contribution is having earned income for the year that at least equals what’s contributed for that year. There’s no age restriction. For the 2024 tax year, your child can contribute to an IRA or Roth IRA the lesser of:

Making modest Roth contributions can add up over time. For example, suppose your child contributes $1,000 to a Roth IRA each year for four years. The Roth account would be worth about $32,000 in 45 years when he or she is ready to retire, assuming a 5% annual rate of return. If you assume an 8% return, the account would be worth more than three times that amount.

Caveats

Hiring your child can be a tax-smart idea. However, your child’s wages must be reasonable for the work performed. Be sure to maintain the same records as you would for other employees to substantiate the hours worked and duties performed. These include timesheets, job descriptions and W-2 forms. Contact us with any questions you have about employing your child at your small business.

© 2024

Now is an excellent time to review the rules for computing corporate federal estimated payments. You want your business to pay the minimum estimated tax amount without triggering the penalty for underpayment of estimated tax.

Four Possible Options

The required installment of estimated tax that a corporation must pay to avoid a penalty is the lowest amount determined under one of the following four methods:

Also, note that a corporation can switch among the four methods during a given tax year.

We can examine whether your corporation’s tax bill can be reduced. If you’d like to discuss this matter further, contact us.

 

© 2024

Navigating through various financial strategies is essential for any business owner aiming to enhance profitability and ensure sustainable growth. These financial benefits, offered by state governments, are designed to spur economic development and encourage investments within their jurisdictions. By leveraging such incentives, businesses can significantly reduce their tax liabilities, enhance cash flow, and optimize their financial strategy.

What Are State Tax Credits and Incentives?

State tax credits and incentives are reductions in tax obligations provided by states to businesses that meet specific criteria. These can range from credits for job creation and investment in some geographic regions to incentives for implementing green initiatives or investing in new technology. Unlike deductions, which reduce the amount of income subject to tax, credits directly decrease the tax owed, often making them more valuable.

A typical scenario where a business might receive a state tax credit is through job creation incentives. For example, a company that expands its workforce might qualify for credits designed to encourage employment growth within the state. These credits often provide a direct offset against the business’s tax liability for each new job created under specific conditions such as salary levels and full-time status, aiming to stimulate local economic growth and reduce unemployment.

Why Prioritize State Tax Credits and Incentives?

Reduced Tax Liability: One of the most immediate benefits of utilizing state tax credits and incentives is the potential reduction in tax liability. This helps improve your business’s bottom line and frees up resources that can be reinvested into the industry.

Enhanced Cash Flow: Many state tax incentives are refundable, which means they can provide cash refunds to businesses even if they owe no tax. This injection of cash can be crucial for funding operations, expansion, or new investments.

Strategic Business Growth: By taking advantage of incentives related to expansion or relocation, businesses can strategically position themselves in markets that offer the most economic benefit while minimizing costs.

Navigating the Complexity

Determining whether your business qualifies for specific state tax credits involves understanding the various criteria set by state laws. Typical qualifications include investing in property, creating jobs, or engaging in business activities such as research and development. Since these incentives vary widely from state to state and year to year, staying informed about the latest opportunities and legislative changes is vital.

Claiming these incentives can be complex, involving stringent compliance and reporting requirements. Additionally, the timing of claiming these credits is often critical, with many having specific filing deadlines or caps on the amount that can be claimed.

Given the complexities associated with state tax credits and incentives, consulting with a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) knowledgeable about tax law and the specifics of these incentives is crucial. A CPA can help you:

Final Thoughts

State tax credits and incentives represent a significant opportunity for business owners to reduce costs and enhance profitability. These financial tools can catalyze business growth and success with the right approach and professional guidance. As you consider your business’s financial planning and strategic direction, evaluating potential state tax credits and incentives with the help of a qualified CPA can provide a competitive edge and help ensure that your business thrives in an ever-evolving economic landscape.

The IRS recently released guidance providing the 2025 inflation-adjusted Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) amounts. These amounts are adjusted each year based on inflation, and the adjustments are announced earlier than other inflation-adjusted amounts, allowing employers to prepare for the next year.

Fundamentals of HSAs

An HSA is a trust created or organized exclusively to pay the qualified medical expenses of an account beneficiary. An HSA can only be established to benefit an eligible individual covered under a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). In addition, a participant can’t be enrolled in Medicare or have other health coverage (exceptions include dental, vision, long-term care, accident, and specific disease insurance).

Within specified dollar limits, an above-the-line tax deduction is allowed for an individual’s contribution to an HSA. This annual contribution limitation and the annual deductible and out-of-pocket expenses under the tax code are adjusted annually for inflation.

Inflation Adjustments for 2025

In Revenue Procedure 2024-25, the IRS released the 2025 inflation-adjusted figures for contributions to HSAs, which are as follows:

Annual contribution limits. For calendar year 2025, the annual contribution limit for an individual with self-only coverage under an HDHP will be $4,300, and for an individual with family coverage, it will be $8,550. These are up from $4,150 and $8,300, respectively, in 2024.

In addition, for 2024 and 2025, there’s a $1,000 catch-up contribution amount for those age 55 or older by the end of the tax year.

High-deductible health plan limits. For calendar year 2025, an HDHP will be a health plan with an annual deductible that isn’t less than $1,650 for self-only coverage or $3,300 for family coverage (these amounts are $1,600 and $3,200 for 2024). In addition, annual out-of-pocket expenses (deductibles, co-payments, and other amounts, but not premiums) won’t be able to exceed $8,300 for self-only coverage or $16,600 for family coverage (up from $8,050 and $16,100, respectively, for 2024).

Heath Reimbursement Arrangements

The IRS also announced an inflation-adjusted Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) amount. An HRA must receive contributions from an eligible individual (employers can’t contribute). Contributions aren’t included in income, and HRA reimbursements for eligible medical expenses aren’t taxed. In 2025, the maximum amount that may be made newly available for the plan year for an excepted benefit HRA will be $2,150 (up from $2,100 in 2024).

Collect the Benefits

There are a variety of benefits to HSAs that employers and employees appreciate. Contributions to the accounts are made on a pre-tax basis. The money can accumulate tax-free year after year and can be withdrawn tax-free to pay for a variety of medical expenses such as doctor visits, prescriptions, chiropractic care, and premiums for long-term care insurance. In addition, an HSA is “portable.” It stays with an account holder if he or she changes employers or leaves the workforce. Many employers find it to be a fringe benefit that attracts and retains employees. If you have questions about HSAs at your business, contact us.

© 2024

After experiencing a downturn in 2023, merger and acquisition activity in several sectors is rebounding in 2024. If you’re buying a business, you want the best results possible after taxes. You can potentially structure the purchase in two ways:

Asset Purchase Tax Basics

You must allocate the total purchase price to the specific assets acquired. The amount allocated to each asset becomes the initial tax basis of that asset.

For depreciable and amortizable assets (such as furniture, fixtures, equipment, buildings, software and intangibles such as customer lists and goodwill), the initial tax basis determines the post-acquisition depreciation and amortization deductions.

When you eventually sell a purchased asset, you’ll have a taxable gain if the sale price exceeds the asset’s tax basis (initial purchase price allocation, plus any post-acquisition improvements, minus any post-acquisition depreciation or amortization).

Asset Purchase Results With a Pass-Through Entity

Let’s say you operate the newly acquired business as a sole proprietorship, a single-member LLC treated as a sole proprietorship for tax purposes, a partnership, a multi-member LLC treated as a partnership for tax purposes or an S corporation. In those cases, post-acquisition gains, losses and income are passed through to you and reported on your personal tax return. Various federal income tax rates can apply to income and gains, depending on the type of asset and how long it’s held before being sold.

Asset Purchase Results With a C Corporation

If you operate the newly acquired business as a C corporation, the corporation pays the tax bills from post-acquisition operations and asset sales. All types of taxable income and gains recognized by a C corporation are taxed at the same federal income tax rate, which is currently 21%.

A Tax-Smart Purchase Price Allocation

With an asset purchase deal, the most important tax opportunity revolves around how you allocate the purchase price to the assets acquired.

To the extent allowed, you want to allocate more of the price to:

Assets that generate higher-taxed ordinary income when converted into cash (such as inventory and receivables),
Assets that can be depreciated relatively quickly (such as furniture and equipment), and
Intangible assets (such as customer lists and goodwill) that can be amortized over 15 years.
You want to allocate less to assets that must be depreciated over long periods (such as buildings) and to land, which can’t be depreciated.

You’ll probably want to get appraised fair market values for the purchased assets to allocate the total purchase price to specific assets. As stated above, you’ll generally want to allocate more of the price to certain assets and less to others to get the best tax results. Because the appraisal process is more of an art than a science, there can potentially be several legitimate appraisals for the same group of assets. The tax results from one appraisal may be better for you than the tax results from another.

Nothing in the tax rules prevents buyers and sellers from agreeing to use legitimate appraisals that result in acceptable tax outcomes for both parties. Settling on appraised values becomes part of the purchase/sale negotiation process. That said, the appraisal that’s finally agreed to must be reasonable.

Plan Ahead

Remember, when buying the assets of a business, the total purchase price must be allocated to the acquired assets. The allocation process can lead to better or worse post-acquisition tax results. We can help you get the former instead of the latter. So get your advisor involved early, preferably during the negotiation phase.

© 2024

There are several financial and legal implications when adding a new partner to a partnership. Here’s an example to illustrate: You and your partners are planning to admit a new partner. The new partner will acquire a one-third interest in the partnership by making a cash contribution to the business. Assume that your basis in your partnership interests is sufficient so that the decrease in your portions of the partnership’s liabilities because of the new partner’s entry won’t reduce your basis to zero.

More Complex Than It Seems

Although adding a new partner may appear to be simple, it’s important to plan the new person’s entry properly to avoid various tax problems. Here are two issues to consider:

The upshot of these rules is that the new partner must be allocated a portion of the depreciation equal to his or her share of the depreciable property based on current fair market value. This will reduce the amount of depreciation that can be taken by the current partners. The other outcome is that the built-in gain or loss on the partnership assets must be allocated to the current partners when the partnership assets are sold. The rules that apply in this area are complex, and the partnership may have to adopt special accounting procedures to cope with the relevant requirements.

Follow Your Basis

When adding a partner or making other changes, a partner’s basis in his or her interest can undergo frequent adjustment. It’s important to keep proper track of your basis because it can have an impact on these areas:

We Can Help

Contact us if you’d like assistance in dealing with these issues or any other issues that may arise in connection with your partnership.

© 2024

Businesses usually want to delay recognition of taxable income into future years and accelerate deductions into the current year. But when is it wise to do the opposite? And why would you want to?

One reason might be tax law changes that raise tax rates. The Biden administration has proposed raising the corporate federal income tax rate from its current flat 21% to 28%. Another reason may be because you expect your noncorporate pass-through entity business to pay taxes at higher rates in the future and the pass-through income will be taxed on your personal return. There have also been discussions in Washington about raising individual federal income tax rates.

If you believe your business income could be subject to tax rate increases, you might want to accelerate income recognition into the current tax year to benefit from the current lower tax rates. At the same time, you may want to postpone deductions into a later tax year, when rates are higher and the deductions will be more beneficial.

To Fast-Track Income

Consider these options if you want to accelerate revenue recognition into the current tax year:

To Postpone Deductions

Consider the following actions to postpone deductions into a higher-rate tax year, which will maximize their value:

Contact us to discuss the best tax planning actions in the light of your business’s unique tax situation.

© 2024

If your business doesn’t already have a retirement plan, it might be a good time to take the plunge. Current retirement plan rules allow for significant tax-deductible contributions.

For example, if you’re self-employed and set up a SEP-IRA, you can contribute up to 20% of your self-employment earnings, with a maximum contribution of $69,000 for 2024 (up from $66,000 for 2023). If you’re employed by your own corporation, up to 25% of your salary can be contributed to your account, with a maximum contribution of $69,000. If you’re in the 32% federal income tax bracket, making a maximum contribution could cut what you owe Uncle Sam for 2024 by a whopping $22,080 (32% × $69,000).

Other Possibilities

There are more small business retirement plan options, including:

Depending on your situation, these plans may allow bigger or smaller deductible contributions than a SEP-IRA. For example, for 2024, a participant can contribute $23,000 to a 401(k) plan, plus a $7,500 “catch-up” contribution for those age 50 or older.

Watch the Calendar

Thanks to a change made by the 2019 SECURE Act, tax-favored qualified employee retirement plans, except for SIMPLE-IRA plans, can now be adopted by the due date (including any extension) of the employer’s federal income tax return for the adoption year. The plan can then receive deductible employer contributions that are made by the due date (including any extension), and the employer can deduct those contributions on the return for the adoption year.

Important: This provision didn’t change the deadline to establish a SIMPLE-IRA plan. It remains October 1 of the year for which the plan is to take effect. Also, the SECURE Act change doesn’t override rules that require certain plan provisions to be in effect during the plan year, such as the provisions that cover employee elective deferral contributions (salary-reduction contributions) under a 401(k) plan. The plan must be in existence before such employee elective deferral contributions can be made.

For example, the deadline for the 2023 tax year for setting up a SEP-IRA for a sole proprietorship business that uses the calendar year for tax purposes is October 15, 2024, if you extend your 2023 tax return. The deadline for making a contribution for the 2023 tax year is also October 15, 2024. For the 2024 tax year, the deadline for setting up a SEP and making a contribution is October 15, 2025, if you extend your 2024 tax return. However, to make a SIMPLE-IRA contribution for the 2023 tax year, you must have set up the plan by October 1, 2023. So, it’s too late to set up a plan for last year.

While you can delay until next year establishing a tax-favored retirement plan for this year (except for a SIMPLE-IRA plan), why wait? Get it done this year as part of your tax planning, and start saving for retirement. We can provide more information on small business retirement plan options. Be aware that if your business has employees, you may have to make contributions for them, too.

© 2024

If you operate a business, or you’re starting a new one, you know records of income and expenses need to be kept. Specifically, you should carefully record expenses to claim all the tax deductions to which you’re entitled. And you want to make sure you can defend the amounts reported on your tax returns in case you’re ever audited by the IRS.

Be aware that there’s no one way to keep business records. On its website, the IRS states: “You can choose any recordkeeping system suited to your business that clearly shows your income and expenses.” But there are strict rules when it comes to deducting legitimate expenses for tax purposes. And certain types of expenses, such as automobile, travel, meal and home office costs, require extra attention because they’re subject to special recordkeeping requirements or limitations on deductibility.

Ordinary and Necessary

A business expense can be deducted if a taxpayer establishes that the primary objective of the activity is making a profit. To be deductible, a business expense must be “ordinary and necessary.” In one recent case, a married couple claimed business deductions that the IRS and the U.S. Tax Court mostly disallowed. The reasons: The expenses were found to be personal in nature and the taxpayers didn’t have adequate records for them.

In the case, the husband was a salaried executive. With his wife, he started a separate business as an S corporation. His sideline business identified new markets for chemical producers and connected them with potential customers. The couple’s two sons began working for the business when they were in high school.

The couple then formed a separate C corporation that engaged in marketing. For some of the years in question, the taxpayers reported the income and expenses of the businesses on their joint tax returns. The businesses conducted meetings at properties the family owned (and resided in) and paid the couple rent for the meetings.

The IRS selected the couple’s returns for audit. Among the deductions the IRS and the Tax Court disallowed:

Retirement Plan Deductions Allowed

The couple did prevail on deductions for contributions to 401(k) accounts for their sons. The IRS contended that the sons weren’t employees during one year in which contributions were made for them. However, the court found that 401(k) plan documents did mention the sons working in the business and the father “credibly recounted assigning them research tasks and overseeing their work while they were in school.” Thus, the court ruled the taxpayers were entitled to the retirement plan deductions. (TC Memo 2023-140)

Lessons Learned

As this case illustrates, a business can’t deduct personal expenses, and scrupulous records are critical. Make sure to use your business bank account for business purposes only. In addition, maintain meticulous records to help prepare your tax returns and prove deductible business expenses in the event of an IRS audit.

Contact us if you have questions about retaining adequate business records.

© 2024

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines that apply to businesses and other employers during the second quarter of 2024. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements.

April 15

April 30

May 10

May 15

June 17

© 2024

Your business should generally maximize current year depreciation write-offs for newly acquired assets. Two federal tax breaks can be a big help in achieving this goal: first-year Section 179 depreciation deductions and first-year bonus depreciation deductions. These two deductions can potentially allow businesses to write off some or all of their qualifying asset expenses in Year 1. However, they’re moving targets due to annual inflation adjustments and tax law changes that phase out bonus depreciation. With that in mind, here’s how to coordinate these write-offs for optimal tax-saving results.

Sec. 179 Deduction Basics

Most tangible depreciable business assets — including equipment, computer hardware, vehicles (subject to limits), furniture, most software and fixtures — qualify for the first-year Sec. 179 deduction.

Depreciable real property generally doesn’t qualify unless it’s qualified improvement property (QIP). QIP means any improvement to an interior portion of a nonresidential building that’s placed in service after the date the building is placed in service — except for any expenditures attributable to the enlargement of the building, any elevator or escalator, or the internal structural framework. Sec. 179 deductions are also allowed for nonresidential building roofs, HVAC equipment, fire protection systems and security systems.

The inflation-adjusted maximum Sec. 179 deduction for tax years beginning in 2024 is $1.22 million. It begins to be phased out if 2024 qualified asset additions exceed $3.05 million. (These are up from $1.16 million and $2.89 million, respectively, in 2023.)

Bonus Depreciation Basics

Most tangible depreciable business assets also qualify for first-year bonus depreciation. In addition, software and QIP generally qualify. To be eligible, a used asset must be new to the taxpayer.

For qualifying assets placed in service in 2024, the first-year bonus depreciation percentage is 60%. This is down from 80% in 2023.

Sec. 179 vs. Bonus Depreciation

The current Sec. 179 deduction rules are generous, but there are several limitations:

First-year bonus depreciation deductions aren’t subject to any complicated limitations. But, as mentioned earlier, the bonus depreciation percentages for 2024 and 2023 are only 60% and 80%, respectively.

So, the current tax-saving strategy is to write off as much of the cost of qualifying asset additions as you can with Sec. 179 deductions. Then claim as much first-year bonus depreciation as you can.

Example: In 2024, your calendar-tax-year C corporation places in service $500,000 of assets that qualify for both a Sec. 179 deduction and first-year bonus depreciation. However, due to the taxable income limitation, the company’s Sec. 179 deduction is limited to only $300,000. You can deduct the $300,000 on your corporation’s 2024 federal income tax return. You can then deduct 60% of the remaining $200,000 ($500,000 − $300,000), thanks to first-year bonus depreciation. So, your corporation can write off $420,000 in 2024 [$300,000 + (60% x $200,000) = $420,000]. That’s 84% of the cost! Note that the $200,000 bonus depreciation deduction will contribute to a corporate net operating loss that’s carried forward to your 2025 tax year.

Manage Tax Breaks

As you can see, coordinating Sec. 179 deductions with bonus depreciation deductions is a tax-wise idea. We can provide details on how the rules work or answer any questions you have.

© 2024

If your small business is strapped for cash (or likes to save money), you may find it beneficial to barter or trade for goods and services. Bartering isn’t new — it’s the oldest form of trade — but the internet has made it easier to engage in with other businesses.

However, if your business begins bartering, be aware that the fair market value of goods that you receive in these types of transactions is taxable income. And if you exchange services with another business, the transaction results in taxable income for both parties.

Fair Market Value

Here are some examples of an exchange of services:

In these cases, both parties are taxed on the fair market value of the services received. This is the amount they would normally charge for the same services. If the parties agree to the value of the services in advance, that will be considered the fair market value unless there’s contrary evidence.

In addition, if services are exchanged for property, income is realized. For example:

Joining a Club

Many businesses join barter clubs that facilitate barter exchanges. These clubs generally use a system of “credit units,” which are awarded to members who provide goods and services. The credits can be redeemed for goods and services from other members.

In general, bartering is taxable in the year it occurs. But if you participate in a barter club, you may be taxed on the value of credit units at the time they’re added to your account, even if you don’t redeem them for actual goods and services until a later year. For example, let’s say that you earn 2,500 credit units one year, and that each unit is redeemable for $2 in goods and services. In that year, you’ll have $5,000 of income. You won’t pay additional tax if you redeem the units the next year, since you’ve already been taxed on that income.

If you join a barter club, you’ll be asked to provide your Social Security number or Employer Identification Number. You’ll also be asked to certify that you aren’t subject to backup withholding. Unless you make this certification, the club is required to withhold tax from your bartering income at a 24% rate.

Tax Reporting

By January 31 of each year, a barter club will send participants a Form 1099-B, “Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions,” which shows the value of cash, property, services and credits that you received from exchanges during the previous year. This information will also be reported to the IRS.

Exchanging Without Exchanging Money

By bartering, you can trade away excess inventory or provide services during slow times, all while hanging on to your cash. You may also find yourself bartering when a customer doesn’t have the money on hand to complete a transaction. As long as you’re aware of the federal and state tax consequences, these transactions can benefit all parties involved. Contact us if you need assistance or would like more information.

© 2024

For many business owners, taxes often represent a hurdle to clear rather than a strategic asset to leverage. However, those who look beyond mere compliance can unlock the transformative power of tax planning as a key driver for sustainable business growth. Rather than viewing tax as a static annual obligation, repositioning it as a dynamic component of your business strategy can substantially impact your bottom line. Effective tax planning goes beyond preparing for tax season; it integrates with your company’s financial decision-making process, influencing everything from cash flow management to long-term investment strategies. This article outlines practical steps for business owners to harness tax planning effectively in their growth strategies.

Comprehensive Tax Analysis

Initiate your tax strategy by comprehensively analyzing your company’s financial situation. Assess all aspects—revenue, expenses, investments, and potential risks—to understand your tax obligations. Engaging with financial advisors to conduct this analysis can uncover valuable tax-saving opportunities that align with your business growth plans.

Tax Strategy and Business Goals Alignment

Ensure that your tax strategies are in sync with your business objectives. If expansion or capital investments are on the horizon, tailor your tax approach to support these aims. This could involve tax planning methods like income deferral or identifying deductions that can be claimed to reduce taxable income, thereby aligning with your business’s future financial goals.

Tax Credits and Incentives Utilization

Stay informed about tax credits and incentives that could benefit your business. Regularly review government offerings for R&D, environmental initiatives, or employment practices, and consider how to integrate these into your tax planning effectively. Consult with tax professionals to apply these credits in the most advantageous ways for your business.

Income and Expense Timing

The timing of income recognition and expense incurrence is crucial. Make informed decisions about when to realize income and incur expenses to manage your tax liabilities effectively. Adjusting the timing can lead to a more favorable tax position and improved cash flow, aiding reinvestment in your business.

Technology Investment for Tax Planning

Invest in technology to enhance your tax planning and business management processes. Accounting software and automation tools can provide accurate, real-time data, allowing for better financial decisions. This technological support is essential for maintaining efficiency and compliance with tax obligations.

Strategic Employee Compensation

Review your compensation strategies to optimize tax outcomes for the business and employees. Consider various compensation models, such as deferred compensation plans or other fringe benefits, which may offer tax advantages while supporting your talent acquisition and retention objectives.

Retirement Planning for Owners and Succession

Business owners should view retirement planning as a component of the company’s tax strategy. Structuring retirement savings tax-efficiently benefits both the individual’s and the business’s future. This planning also involves considering the tax implications of business succession and transition.

Tax planning is more than compliance; it’s a critical element of a sustainable business strategy. While navigating through these areas, it’s essential to maintain a forward-thinking approach, utilize available resources, and continuously adapt to changing tax laws. Before implementing any tax-related changes, consult a CPA to ensure the strategies are appropriate and beneficial for your business’s unique context. This careful and informed approach to tax planning will support your business’s growth and stability over the long term.

The qualified business income (QBI) deduction is available to eligible businesses through 2025. After that, it’s scheduled to disappear. So if you’re eligible, you want to make the most of the deduction while it’s still on the books because it can potentially be a big tax saver.

Deduction Basics

The QBI deduction is written off at the owner level. It can be up to 20% of:

How is QBI defined? It’s qualified income and gains from an eligible business, reduced by related deductions. QBI is reduced by: 1) deductible contributions to a self-employed retirement plan, 2) the deduction for 50% of self-employment tax, and 3) the deduction for self-employed health insurance premiums.

Unfortunately, the QBI deduction doesn’t reduce net earnings for purposes of the self-employment tax, nor does it reduce investment income for purposes of the 3.8% net investment income tax (NIIT) imposed on higher-income individuals.

Limitations

At higher income levels, QBI deduction limitations come into play. For 2024, these begin to phase in when taxable income before any QBI deduction exceeds $191,950 ($383,900 for married joint filers). The limitations are fully phased in once taxable income exceeds $241,950 or $483,900, respectively.

If your income exceeds the applicable fully-phased-in number, your QBI deduction is limited to the greater of: 1) your share of 50% of W-2 wages paid to employees during the year and properly allocable to QBI, or 2) the sum of your share of 25% of such W-2 wages plus your share of 2.5% of the unadjusted basis immediately upon acquisition (UBIA) of qualified property.

The limitation based on qualified property is intended to benefit capital-intensive businesses such as hotels and manufacturing operations. Qualified property means depreciable tangible property, including real estate, that’s owned and used to produce QBI. The UBIA of qualified property generally equals its original cost when first put to use in the business.

Finally, your QBI deduction can’t exceed 20% of your taxable income calculated before any QBI deduction and before any net capital gain (net long-term capital gains in excess of net short-term capital losses plus qualified dividends).

Unfavorable Rules for Certain Businesses 

For a specified service trade or business (SSTB), the QBI deduction begins to be phased out when your taxable income before any QBI deduction exceeds $191,950 ($383,900 for married joint filers). Phaseout is complete if taxable income exceeds $241,950 or $483,900, respectively. If your taxable income exceeds the applicable phaseout amount, you’re not allowed to claim any QBI deduction based on income from a SSTB.

Other Factors

Other rules apply to this tax break. For example, you can elect to aggregate several businesses for purposes of the deduction. It may allow someone with taxable income high enough to be affected by the limitations described above to claim a bigger QBI deduction than if the businesses were considered separately.

There also may be an impact for claiming or forgoing certain deductions. For example, in 2024, you can potentially claim first-year Section 179 depreciation deductions of up to $1.22 million for eligible asset additions (subject to various limitations). For 2024, 60% first-year bonus depreciation is also available. However, first-year depreciation deductions reduce QBI and taxable income, which can reduce your QBI deduction. So, you may have to thread the needle with depreciation write-offs to get the best overall tax result.

Use It or Potentially Lose It

The QBI deduction is scheduled to disappear after 2025. Congress could extend it, but don’t count on it. So, maximizing the deduction for 2024 and 2025 is a worthy goal. We can help.

© 2024

The credit for increasing research activities, often referred to as the research and development (R&D) credit, is a valuable tax break available to certain eligible small businesses. Claiming the credit involves complex calculations, which we’ll take care of for you.

But in addition to the credit itself, be aware that there are two additional features that are especially favorable to small businesses:

Let’s take a look at the second feature. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has doubled the amount of the payroll tax credit election for qualified businesses and made a change to the eligible types of payroll taxes it can be applied to, making it better than it was before the law changes kicked in.

Election Basics

Subject to limits, your business can elect to apply all or some of any research tax credit that you earn against your payroll taxes instead of your income tax. This payroll tax election may influence you to undertake or increase your research activities. On the other hand, if you’re engaged in — or are planning to undertake — research activities without regard to tax consequences, you could receive some tax relief.

Many new businesses, even if they have some cash flow, or even net positive cash flow and/or a book profit, pay no income taxes and won’t for some time. Thus, there’s no amount against which business credits, including the research credit, can be applied. On the other hand, any wage-paying business, even a new one, has payroll tax liabilities. Therefore, the payroll tax election is an opportunity to get immediate use out of the research credits that you earn. Because every dollar of credit-eligible expenditure can result in as much as a 10-cent tax credit, that’s a big help in the start-up phase of a business — the time when help is most needed.

Eligible Businesses

To qualify for the election, a taxpayer must:

In making these determinations, the only gross receipts that an individual taxpayer considers are from the individual’s businesses. An individual’s salary, investment income or other income aren’t taken into account. Also, note that an entity or individual can’t make the election for more than six years in a row.

Limits on the Election

The research credit for which the taxpayer makes the payroll tax election can be applied against the employer portion of Social Security and Medicare. It can’t be used to lower the FICA taxes that an employer withholds and remits to the government on behalf of employees. Before a provision in the IRA became effective for 2023 and later years, taxpayers were only allowed to use the payroll tax offset against Social Security, not Medicare.

The amount of research credit for which the election can be made can’t annually exceed $500,000. Prior to the IRA, the maximum credit amount allowed to offset payroll tax before 2023 was only $250,000. Note, too, that an individual or C corporation can make the election only for those research credits which, in the absence of an election, would have to be carried forward. In other words, a C corporation can’t make the election for the research credit to reduce current or past income tax liabilities.

These are just the basics of the payroll tax election. Keep in mind that identifying and substantiating expenses eligible for the research credit itself is a complex task. Contact us about whether you can benefit from the payroll tax election and the research tax credit.

© 2024

If you want to withdraw cash from your closely held corporation at a low tax cost, the easiest way is to distribute cash as a dividend. However, a dividend distribution isn’t tax efficient since it’s taxable to you to the extent of your corporation’s “earnings and profits,” but it’s not deductible by the corporation.

5 Different Approaches

Thankfully, there are some alternative methods that may allow you to withdraw cash from a corporation while avoiding dividend treatment. Here are five possible options:

1. Salary. Reasonable compensation that you, or family members, receive for services rendered to the corporation is deductible by the business. However, it’s also taxable to the recipient(s). The same rule applies to any compensation (in the form of rent) that you receive from the corporation for the use of property. In either case, the amount of compensation must be reasonable in relation to the services rendered or the value of the property provided. If it’s excessive, the excess will be nondeductible and treated as a corporate distribution.

2. Fringe benefits. Consider obtaining the equivalent of a cash withdrawal in fringe benefits that are deductible by the corporation and not taxable to you. Examples are life insurance, certain medical benefits, disability insurance and dependent care. Most of these benefits are tax-free only if provided on a nondiscriminatory basis to other employees of the corporation. You can also establish a salary reduction plan that allows you (and other employees) to take a portion of your compensation as nontaxable benefits, rather than as taxable compensation.

3. Capital repayments. To the extent that you’ve capitalized the corporation with debt, including amounts that you’ve advanced to the business, the corporation can repay the debt without the repayment being treated as a dividend. Additionally, interest paid on the debt can be deducted by the corporation. This assumes that the debt has been properly documented with terms that characterize debt and that the corporation doesn’t have an excessively high debt-to-equity ratio. If not, the “debt” repayment may be taxed as a dividend. If you make cash contributions to the corporation in the future, consider structuring them as debt to facilitate later withdrawals on a tax-advantaged basis.

4. Loans. You may withdraw cash from the corporation tax-free by borrowing money from it. However, to avoid having the loan characterized as a corporate distribution, it should be properly documented in a loan agreement or a note and be made on terms that are comparable to those on which an unrelated third party would lend money to you. This should include a provision for interest and principal. All interest and principal payments should be made when required under the loan terms. Also, consider the effect of the corporation’s receipt of interest income.

5. Property sales. You can withdraw cash from the corporation by selling property to it. However, certain sales should be avoided. For example, you shouldn’t sell property to a more than 50% owned corporation at a loss, since the loss will be disallowed. And you shouldn’t sell depreciable property to a more than 50% owned corporation at a gain, since the gain will be treated as ordinary income, rather than capital gain. A sale should be on terms that are comparable to those on which an unrelated third party would purchase the property. You may need to obtain an independent appraisal to establish the property’s value.

Minimize Taxes

If you’re interested in discussing any of these ideas, contact us. We can help you get the maximum out of your corporation at the minimum tax cost.

© 2024

A recent report shows that post-pandemic global business travel is going strong. The market reached $665.3 billion in 2022 and is estimated to hit $928.4 billion by 2030, according to a report from Research and Markets. If you own your own company and travel for business, you may wonder whether you can deduct the costs of having your spouse accompany you on trips.

Is your spouse an employee?

The rules for deducting a spouse’s travel costs are very restrictive. First of all, to qualify for the deduction, your spouse must be your employee. This means you can’t deduct the travel costs of a spouse, even if his or her presence has a bona fide business purpose, unless the spouse is an employee of your business. This requirement prevents tax deductibility in most cases.

If your spouse is your employee, you can deduct his or her travel costs if his or her presence on the trip serves a bona fide business purpose. Merely having your spouse perform some incidental business service, such as typing up notes from a meeting, isn’t enough to establish a business purpose. In general, it isn’t enough for his or her presence to be “helpful” to your business pursuits — it must be necessary.

In most cases, a spouse’s participation in social functions, for example as a host or hostess, isn’t enough to establish a business purpose. That is, if his or her purpose is to establish general goodwill for customers or associates, this is usually insufficient. Further, if there’s a vacation element to the trip (for example, if your spouse spends time sightseeing), it will be more difficult to establish a business purpose for his or her presence on the trip. On the other hand, a bona fide business purpose exists if your spouse’s presence is necessary to care for a serious medical condition that you have.

If your spouse’s travel satisfies these requirements, the normal deductions for business travel away from home can be claimed. These include the costs of transportation, meals, lodging, and incidental costs such as dry cleaning, phone calls, etc.

What if your spouse isn’t an employee?

Even if your spouse’s travel doesn’t satisfy the requirements, however, you may still be able to deduct a substantial portion of the trip’s costs. This is because the rules don’t require you to allocate 50% of your travel costs to your spouse. You need only allocate any additional costs you incur for him or her. For example, in many hotels the cost of a single room isn’t that much lower than the cost of a double. If a single would cost you $150 a night and a double would cost you and your spouse $200, the disallowed portion of the cost allocable to your spouse would only be $50. In other words, you can write off the cost of what you would have paid traveling alone. To prove your deduction, ask the hotel for a room rate schedule showing single rates for the days you’re staying.

And if you drive your own car or rent one, the whole cost will be fully deductible even if your spouse is along. Of course, if public transportation is used, and for meals, any separate costs incurred by your spouse aren’t deductible.

Have questions?

You want to maximize all the tax breaks you can claim for your small business. Contact us if you have questions or need assistance with this or other tax-related issues.

© 2024

Businesses basically have two accounting methods to figure their taxable income: cash and accrual. Many businesses have a choice of which method to use for tax purposes. The cash method often provides significant tax benefits for eligible businesses, though some may be better off using the accrual method. Thus, it may be prudent for your business to evaluate its method to ensure that it’s the most advantageous approach.

Eligibility to Use the Cash Method

“Small businesses,” as defined by the tax code, are generally eligible to use either cash or accrual accounting for tax purposes. (Some businesses may also be eligible to use various hybrid approaches.) Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) took effect, the gross receipts threshold for classification as a small business varied from $1 million to $10 million depending on how a business was structured, its industry and factors involving inventory.

The TCJA simplified the small business definition by establishing a single gross receipts threshold. It also increased the threshold to $25 million (adjusted for inflation), expanding the benefits of small business status to more companies. For 2024, a small business is one whose average annual gross receipts for the three-year period ending before the 2024 tax year are $30 million or less (up from $29 million for 2023).

In addition to eligibility for the cash accounting method, small businesses can benefit from advantages including:

Note: Some businesses are eligible for cash accounting even if their gross receipts are above the threshold, including S corporations, partnerships without C corporation partners, farming businesses and certain personal service corporations. Tax shelters are ineligible for the cash method, regardless of size.

Difference Between the Methods

For most businesses, the cash method provides significant tax advantages. Because cash-basis businesses recognize income when received and deduct expenses when they’re paid, they have greater control over the timing of income and deductions. For example, toward the end of the year, they can defer income by delaying invoices until the following tax year or shift deductions into the current year by accelerating the payment of expenses.

In contrast, accrual-basis businesses recognize income when earned and deduct expenses when incurred, without regard to the timing of cash receipts or payments. Therefore, they have little flexibility to time the recognition of income or expenses for tax purposes.

The cash method also provides cash flow benefits. Because income is taxed in the year received, it helps ensure that a business has the funds needed to pay its tax bill.

However, for some businesses, the accrual method may be preferable. For instance, if a company’s accrued income tends to be lower than its accrued expenses, the accrual method may result in lower tax liability. Other potential advantages of the accrual method include the ability to deduct year-end bonuses paid within the first 2½ months of the following tax year and the option to defer taxes on certain advance payments.

Switching Methods

Even if your business would benefit by switching from the accrual method to the cash method, or vice versa, it’s important to consider the administrative costs involved in a change. For example, if your business prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, it’s required to use the accrual method for financial reporting purposes. That doesn’t mean it can’t use the cash method for tax purposes, but it would require maintaining two sets of books.

Changing accounting methods for tax purposes also may require IRS approval. Contact us to learn more about each method.

© 2024

Understanding and implementing the proper accounting method is a cornerstone for financial clarity and operational success. As a business owner, choosing between cash-basis and accrual accounting methods affects how you report financial transactions. This article delves into the essence of these accounting methods, their significance, and how to discern which is most conducive to your business’s growth and fiscal management.

The Essence of Accounting Methods

Accounting methods are the backbone of financial record-keeping, providing a structured approach to tracking financial transactions and maintaining accurate financial records. The primary objective is to depict an organization’s financial performance and position. Understanding the nuances of each accounting method helps business owners make informed decisions, manage tax obligations effectively, and forecast future growth with precision.

Cash-Basis Accounting: Simplicity and Immediate Financial Insight

Cash-basis accounting, renowned for its simplicity, only records income and expenses when cash is exchanged. This method offers a straightforward perspective on cash flow, allowing small business owners to ascertain their financial standing at any given moment easily. However, its simplicity comes at the cost of a comprehensive view, as it doesn’t account for pending receivables or payables, potentially skewing the real financial health of the business. Small enterprises, particularly those without inventory or complex financial obligations, often find cash-basis accounting advantageous for its direct reflection of cash on hand and ease of management.

Accrual Accounting: A Comprehensive Financial Overview

In contrast, accrual accounting provides a more detailed financial picture by recording transactions when they are incurred, irrespective of cash movement. This method is essential for businesses that engage in credit transactions, carry inventory, or require a detailed understanding of their financial status for decision-making and strategic planning. Accrual accounting enables business owners to anticipate future revenues and expenses, offering insights into the company’s long-term financial trajectory. While it necessitates a more meticulous record-keeping process, its benefits in providing a complete financial overview are undeniable.

Choosing the Right Path: Factors to Consider

The choice between cash-basis and accrual accounting hinges on several factors, including the size of your business, regulatory requirements, and strategic financial planning needs. The IRS mandates accrual accounting for businesses surpassing $26 million in gross receipts over a three-year average, underscoring its relevance for larger enterprises. Additionally, businesses aiming for growth or those engaging in complex financial activities may find accrual accounting more suitable due to its in-depth financial insights and forecasting capabilities.

For small businesses, particularly those at the threshold of significant growth or with plans to scale, starting with accrual accounting can lay a solid foundation for future financial management needs. Conversely, cash-basis accounting may suffice for businesses with simpler transactions and those seeking straightforward financial tracking.

Modified Cash-Basis Accounting: Bridging the Gap

Businesses looking for a middle ground may consider modified cash-basis accounting, which combines elements of both methods. This hybrid approach allows for recording short-term cash transactions and long-term financial activities, offering flexibility and a balanced view of a business’s financial health.

Empower Your Business with Informed Decisions

In choosing the right accounting method for your business, being well-informed cannot be overstated. Whether cash-basis or accrual accounting is better depends on your business’s specific needs, regulatory requirements, and growth aspirations. Remember, this decision is about compliance, strategic financial planning, and management. Given the complexities involved, it’s advisable to seek the guidance of a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). A CPA can offer personalized advice, ensuring your accounting method aligns with your business goals and paves the way for sustainable growth.  Making this critical decision with professional insight allows you to navigate your business toward financial clarity and success.

The Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) was introduced back when COVID-19 temporarily closed many businesses. The credit provided cash that helped enable struggling businesses to retain employees. Even though the ERTC expired for most employers at the end of the third quarter of 2021, it could still be claimed on amended returns after that.

According to the IRS, it began receiving a deluge of “questionable” ERTC claims as some unscrupulous promotors asserted that large tax refunds could easily be obtained — even though there are stringent eligibility requirements. “We saw aggressive marketing around this credit, and well-intentioned businesses were misled into filing claims,” explained IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel.

Last year, in a series of actions, the IRS began cracking down on potentially fraudulent claims. They began with a moratorium on processing new ERTC claims submitted after September 14, 2023. Despite this, the IRS reports that it still has more than $1 billion in ETRC claims in process and they are receiving additional scrutiny.

Here’s an update of the other compliance efforts that may help your business if it submitted a problematic claim:

Much-Needed Relief

Commissioner Werfel said the disclosure program “provides a much-needed option for employers who were pulled into these claims and now realize they shouldn’t have applied.”

In addition to the programs described above, the IRS has been sending letters to thousands of taxpayers notifying them their claims have been disallowed. These cases involve entities that didn’t exist or didn’t have employees on the payroll during the eligibility period, “meaning the businesses failed to meet the basic criteria” for the credit, the IRS stated. Another set of letters will soon be mailed to credit recipients who claimed an erroneous or excessive credit. They’ll be informed that the IRS will recapture the payments through normal collection procedures.

There’s an application form that employers must file to participate in the Voluntary Disclosure Program and procedures that must be followed for the withdrawal program. Other rules apply. Contact us for assistance or with questions.

© 2024

The newly approved Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, symbolizing a legislative victory for taxpayers, especially small business owners and professionals, deserves a detailed look due to its retroactive provisions and potential to affect the upcoming tax season.

For Families: A More Generous Child Tax Credit

The Child Tax Credit (CTC) sees a notable expansion for individuals. This credit calculates the refundable portion per child once the taxpayer’s earned income exceeds $2,500 by 15%. For tax years 2023 through 2025, the credit increases to $1,800, $1,900, and $2,000, respectively, offering substantial savings for families. Additionally, for the tax years 2024 and 2025, taxpayers can calculate their CTC based on the previous year’s earned income, providing flexibility in fluctuating income.

For Businesses: Incentives to Sustain and Grow

Several key provisions have been introduced to support business growth and adaptability:

Research and Experimentation Costs:

The bill delays the onset of a five-year amortization rule for domestic research and experimental costs to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025, providing an incentive for innovation.

Business Interest Limitation:

For tax years starting after 2023 and before 2026, businesses can compute adjusted taxable income (ATI) for interest limitation with reinstated depreciation, amortization, and depletion deductions, enhancing cash flow.

Bonus Depreciation:

The Act extends the 100% bonus depreciation for qualifying property placed in service before January 1, 2026. This extension allows businesses to deduct the full cost of eligible property in the year of service, promoting investment in new assets.

Section 179 Deduction:

The deduction limit under Section 179 is increased for tax years starting after 2023, allowing businesses to expense up to $1.29 million and phase out thresholds starting at $3.22 million, indexed for inflation thereafter.

Combating Fraud and Ensuring Compliance:

The Act introduces stringent measures to curb fraudulent claims, specifically targeting the misuse of the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC). It shortens the claim period for the ERTC to January 31, 2024, and amplifies penalties for incorrect or fraudulent claims.

International Relations: U.S. and Taiwan

In a significant move, the bill extends tax treaty-like benefits to Taiwan to avoid double taxation, which may impact businesses with operations or interests in Taiwan.

Disaster Relief: Continued Assistance

Disaster relief provisions from the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020 are extended. This includes benefits for those affected by federally declared disasters between January 1, 2020, and 60 days post-enactment of the new bill.

Simplifying Tax Reporting:

The reporting threshold for Form 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC increases from $600 to $1,000 for payments made after December 31, 2023, easing the administrative load for small businesses.

Promoting Affordable Housing:

The bill boosts the 9% low-income housing tax credit ceiling by 12.5% for calendar years 2023 through 2025 and reduces the bond financing threshold to 30% for projects financed by bonds issued before 2026.

Practical Implications:

This Act presents a mosaic of opportunities and considerations. Small business owners and professionals must promptly assess how these changes impact their operations and tax strategies. As the provisions have retroactive effects, it’s crucial to consult with tax professionals to maximize benefits and navigate the complexities of the new law.

 

In light of the IRS’s recent announcement regarding tax inflation adjustments for the 2024 tax year, business owners must understand and adapt to these changes. As your experienced accounting advisors, we’re here to guide you through this complex landscape. Our goal is to help you comply with these new regulations and seize opportunities for growth and enhanced profitability.

Leveraging Increased Standard Deductions

The standard deduction for the 2024 tax year has increased across all filing statuses. For married couples filing jointly, it’s now $29,200; for single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately, it’s $14,600; for heads of households, it’s $21,900.

Adapting to the Revised Marginal Tax Rates

The marginal tax rates for 2024 have been adjusted. The top tax rate remains at 37% for individuals earning over $609,350 ($731,200 for married couples filing jointly), with graduated rates for lower income brackets.

Addressing the Alternative Minimum Tax Adjustments

The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) exemption amount has been raised to $85,700, phasing out at $609,350 for individuals ($133,300 for married couples filing jointly, phasing out at $1,218,700).

Claiming the Enhanced Earned Income Tax Credit

The maximum Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for 2024 is $7,830 for taxpayers with three or more qualifying children, an increase from the previous year.

Understanding Changes in Transportation and Parking Benefits

The monthly limit for qualified transportation fringe benefits and parking has increased to $315 for 2024.

Adjusting to Health FSAs and MSAs Updates

For Health Flexible Spending Arrangements (FSAs), the employee salary reduction contribution limit is now $3,200, with a maximum carryover of $640. The deductible and out-of-pocket limits for Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) have also been adjusted.

Embracing the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion Increase

The foreign-earned income exclusion has been increased to $126,500 for 2024.

Estate and Gift Tax Planning

The basic exclusion amount for estate tax has been raised to $13,610,000, and the annual exclusion for gifts is now $18,000.

Making the Most of the Adoption Credit Increase

The maximum adoption credit has been increased to $16,810 for 2024.

Turning Adjustments into Advantages

Tax adjustments should be viewed as strategic opportunities rather than mere compliance matters. We encourage proactive planning and offer personalized assistance in navigating the complexities of the 2024 tax landscape. Let’s partner together to optimize your tax strategies and position your business for success, maximizing its potential and profitability. Contact us for tailored advice today.

As part of the SECURE 2.0 law, there’s a new benefit option for employees facing emergencies. It’s called a pension-linked emergency savings account (PLESA) and the provision authorizing it became effective for plan years beginning January 1, 2024. The IRS recently released guidance about the accounts (in Notice 2024-22) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published some frequently asked questions to help employers, plan sponsors, participants and others understand them.

PLESA Basics

The DOL defines PLESAs as “short-term savings accounts established and maintained within a defined contribution plan.” Employers with 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans can opt to offer PLESAs to non-highly compensated employees. For 2024, a participant who earned $150,000 or more in 2023 is a highly compensated employee.

Here are some more details of this new type of account:

Proof of an Event Not Necessary

A participant in a PLESA doesn’t need to prove that he or she is experiencing an emergency before making a withdrawal from an account. The DOL states that “withdrawals are made at the discretion of the participant.”

These are just the basic details of PLESAs. Contact us if you have questions about these or other fringe benefits and their tax implications.

© 2024

Operating your small business as a Qualified Small Business Corporation (QSBC) could be a tax-wise idea.

Tax-Free Treatment for Eligible Stock Gains

QSBCs are the same as garden-variety C corporations for tax and legal purposes — except QSBC shareholders are potentially eligible to exclude from federal income tax 100% of their stock sale gains. That translates into a 0% federal income tax rate on QSBC stock sale profits! However, you must meet several requirements set forth in Section 1202 of the Internal Revenue Code, and not all shares meet the tax-law description of QSBC stock. Finally, there are limitations on the amount of QSBC stock sale gain that you can exclude in any one tax year (but they’re unlikely to apply).

Stock Acquisition Date is Key

The 100% federal income tax gain exclusion is only available for sales of QSBC shares that were acquired on or after September 28, 2010.

If you currently operate as a sole proprietorship, single-member LLC treated as a sole proprietorship, partnership or multi-member LLC treated as a partnership, you’ll have to incorporate the business and issue yourself shares to attain QSBC status.

Important: The act of incorporating a business shouldn’t be taken lightly. We can help you evaluate the pros and cons of taking this step.

Here are some more rules and requirements:

2017 Law Sweetened the Deal

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made a flat 21% corporate federal income tax rate permanent, assuming no backtracking by Congress. So, if you own shares in a profitable QSBC and you eventually sell them when you’re eligible for the 100% gain exclusion break, the 21% corporate rate could be all the income tax that’s ever owed to Uncle Sam.

Tax Incentives Drive the Decision

Before concluding that you can operate your business as a QSBC, consult with us. We’ve summarized the most important eligibility rules here, but there are more. The 100% federal income tax stock sale gain exclusion break and the flat 21% corporate federal income tax rate are two strong incentives for eligible small businesses to operate as QSBCs.

© 2024

If you’re an employer with a business where tipping is routine when providing food and beverages, you may qualify for a federal tax credit involving the Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes that you pay on your employees’ tip income.

Credit Fundamentals

The FICA credit applies to tips that your staff members receive from customers when they buy food and beverages. It doesn’t matter if the food and beverages are consumed on or off the premises. Although tips are paid by customers, for FICA purposes, they’re treated as if you paid them to your employees.

As you know, your employees are required to report their tips to you. You must:

How the Credit is Claimed

You claim the credit as part of the general business credit. It’s equal to the employer’s share of FICA taxes paid on tip income in excess of what’s needed to bring your employee’s wages up to $5.15 per hour. In other words, no credit is available to the extent the tip income just brings the employee up to the $5.15-per-hour level, calculated monthly. If you pay each employee at least $5.15 an hour (excluding tips), you don’t have to be concerned with this calculation.

Note: A 2007 tax law froze the per-hour amount at $5.15, which was the amount of the federal minimum wage at that time. The minimum wage is now $7.25 per hour but the amount for credit computation purposes remains $5.15.

Let’s Look at an Example

Let’s say a server works at your restaurant. She is paid $2.13 an hour plus tips. During the month, she works 160 hours for $340.80 and receives $2,000 in cash tips which she reports to you.

The server’s $2.13-an-hour rate is below the $5.15 rate by $3.02 an hour. Thus, for the 160 hours worked, she is below the $5.15 rate by $483.20 (160 times $3.02). For the server, therefore, the first $483.20 of tip income just brings her up to the minimum rate. The rest of the tip income is $1,516.80 ($2,000 minus $483.20). As the server’s employer, you pay FICA taxes at the rate of 7.65% for her. Therefore, your employer credit is $116.03 for the month: $1,516.80 times 7.65%.

While the employer’s share of FICA taxes is generally deductible, the FICA taxes paid with respect to tip income used to determine the credit can’t be deducted, because that would amount to a double benefit. However, you can elect not to take the credit, in which case you can claim the deduction.

Get the Credit You Deserve

If your business pays FICA taxes on tip income paid to your employees, the tip tax credit may be valuable to you. Other rules may apply. Contact us if you have any questions.

© 2024

The optional standard mileage rate used to calculate the deductible cost of operating an automobile for business will be going up by 1.5 cents per mile in 2024. The IRS recently announced that the cents-per-mile rate for the business use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck will be 67 cents (up from 65.5 cents for 2023).

The increased tax deduction partly reflects the price of gasoline, which is about the same as it was a year ago. On December 21, 2023, the national average price of a gallon of regular gas was $3.12, compared with $3.10 a year earlier, according to AAA Gas Prices.

Standard Rate vs. Tracking Expenses

Businesses can generally deduct the actual expenses attributable to business use of vehicles. These include gas, tires, oil, repairs, insurance, licenses and vehicle registration fees. In addition, you can claim a depreciation allowance for the vehicle. However, in many cases, certain limits apply to depreciation write-offs on vehicles that don’t apply to other types of business assets.

The cents-per-mile rate is helpful if you don’t want to keep track of actual vehicle-related expenses. However, you still must record certain information, such as the mileage for each business trip, the date and the destination.

The standard rate is also used by businesses that reimburse employees for business use of their personal vehicles. These reimbursements can help attract and retain employees who drive their personal vehicles for business purposes. Why? Under current law, employees can’t deduct unreimbursed employee business expenses, such as business mileage, on their own income tax returns.

If you use the cents-per-mile rate, keep in mind that you must comply with various rules. If you don’t comply, reimbursements to employees could be considered taxable wages to them.

Rate Calculation

The business cents-per-mile rate is adjusted annually. It’s based on an annual study commissioned by the IRS about the fixed and variable costs of operating a vehicle, such as gas, maintenance, repairs and depreciation. Occasionally, if there’s a substantial change in average gas prices, the IRS will change the rate midyear.

Not Always Allowed

There are cases when you can’t use the cents-per-mile rate. In some situations, it depends on how you’ve claimed deductions for the same vehicle in the past. In other situations, it hinges on if the vehicle is new to your business this year or whether you want to take advantage of certain first-year depreciation tax breaks on it.

As you can see, there are many factors to consider in deciding whether to use the standard mileage rate to deduct business vehicle expenses. We can help if you have questions about tracking and claiming such expenses in 2024 — or claiming 2023 expenses on your 2023 tax return.

© 2023

If you’re interested in selling commercial or investment real estate that has appreciated significantly, one way to defer a tax bill on the gain is with a Section 1031 “like-kind” exchange. With this transaction, you exchange the property rather than sell it. Although the real estate market has been tough recently in some locations, there are still profitable opportunities (with high resulting tax bills) when the like-kind exchange strategy may be attractive.

A like-kind exchange is any exchange of real property held for investment or for productive use in your trade or business (relinquished property) for like-kind investment, trade or business real property (replacement property).

For these purposes, like-kind is broadly defined, and most real property is considered to be like-kind with other real property. However, neither the relinquished property nor the replacement property can be real property held primarily for sale.

Asset-for-Asset or Boot

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, tax-deferred Section 1031 treatment is no longer allowed for exchanges of personal property — such as equipment and certain personal property building components — that are completed after December 31, 2017.

If you’re unsure if the property involved in your exchange is eligible for like-kind treatment, please contact us to discuss the matter.

Assuming the exchange qualifies, here’s how the tax rules work. If it’s a straight asset-for-asset exchange, you won’t have to recognize any gain from the exchange. You’ll take the same “basis” (your cost for tax purposes) in the replacement property that you had in the relinquished property. Even if you don’t have to recognize any gain on the exchange, you still must report it on Form 8824, “Like-Kind Exchanges.”

However, in many cases, the properties aren’t equal in value, so some cash or other property is added to the deal. This cash or other property is known as “boot.” If boot is involved, you’ll have to recognize your gain, but only up to the amount of boot you receive in the exchange. In these situations, the basis you get in the like-kind replacement property you receive is equal to the basis you had in the relinquished property reduced by the amount of boot you received but increased by the amount of any gain recognized.

How it Works

For example, let’s say you exchange business property with a basis of $100,000 for a building valued at $120,000, plus $15,000 in cash. Your realized gain on the exchange is $35,000: You received $135,000 in value for an asset with a basis of $100,000. However, since it’s a like-kind exchange, you only have to recognize $15,000 of your gain. That’s the amount of cash (boot) you received. Your basis in the new building (the replacement property) will be $100,000: your original basis in the relinquished property ($100,000) plus the $15,000 gain recognized, minus the $15,000 boot received.

Note that no matter how much boot is received, you’ll never recognize more than your actual (“realized”) gain on the exchange.

If the property you’re exchanging is subject to debt from which you’re being relieved, the amount of the debt is treated as boot. The reason is that if someone takes over your debt, it’s equivalent to the person giving you cash. Of course, if the replacement property is also subject to debt, then you’re only treated as receiving boot to the extent of your “net debt relief” (the amount by which the debt you become free of exceeds the debt you pick up).

Unload One Property and Replace it With Another

Like-kind exchanges can be a great tax-deferred way to dispose of investment, trade or business real property. But you have to make sure to meet all the requirements. Contact us if you have questions or would like to discuss the strategy further.

© 2024

The 3.8% net investment income tax (NIIT) is an additional tax that applies to some higher-income taxpayers on top of capital gains tax or ordinary income tax. Fortunately, there are strategies you can use to soften the blow of the NIIT.

Are you subject to the NIIT?

You’re potentially liable for the NIIT if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds $200,000 ($250,000 for joint filers and qualifying widows or widowers; $125,000 for married taxpayers filing separately). Generally, MAGI is the same as adjusted gross income. However, it may be higher if you have foreign earned income and certain foreign investments.

The NIIT is calculated by multiplying 3.8% by the lesser of:

1) net investment income (NII), or

2) the amount by which MAGI exceeds the applicable threshold.

For example, if you’re single with $250,000 in MAGI and $75,000 in NII, your MAGI will exceed the $200,000 threshold for singles by $50,000, which is less than your NII. So, your NIIT will be 3.8% × $50,000, which equals $1,900.

But if your MAGI instead is $300,000, your NIIT will be 3.8% × $75,000, which equals $2,850. This is because your $75,000 NII is less than the $100,000 amount by which your MAGI will exceed the $200,000 threshold.

NII generally includes net income from taxable interest, dividends, capital gains, rents, royalties and passive business activities. Several types of income are excluded from NII, such as wages, most nonpassive business income, retirement plan distributions and Social Security benefits. Also excluded are alimony and nontaxable gain on the sale of a personal residence.

Planning strategies

Given the way the NIIT is calculated, you can reduce or defer the tax by reducing either your MAGI or your NII. Consider:

 

You also might be able to transfer — either directly or in trust — assets that generate investment income to lower-income family members who aren’t subject to the NIIT. With this strategy, though, be careful not to inadvertently trigger NIIT because of the transfer. For example, trusts have a dramatically lower income threshold level at which NIIT applies.

If you own rental real estate, talk to your tax advisors about how you can avoid NIIT and obtain other tax benefits by qualifying as a materially participating “real estate professional.”

If you hold interests in pass-through entities — such as partnerships, limited liability companies and S corporations — it’s important to consider the interplay between the NIIT and other taxes. For instance, it may be possible to avoid the NIIT by increasing your level of participation to convert a pass-through investment from passive to nonpassive. But in some cases, doing so may also trigger self-employment (SE) or payroll taxes, so it’s important to weigh the NIIT savings against the potential SE or payroll tax costs.

Handle with care

There are many potential strategies for reducing or deferring NIIT, but it’s important to consult with your tax advisor before you implement them. Tax reduction is an important objective, so long as it doesn’t come at the expense of prudent investment decision-making.

© 2023

We’ve closed another year marked by economic uncertainties, and one constant remains—the potential to enhance your company’s financial health by strategically managing your tax obligations. Below, we outline practical and timely strategies tailored for business owners looking to navigate the intricate landscape of tax planning.

Take Advantage of Entity (PTE) Tax Deduction

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) imposed a $10,000 cap on federal income tax deductions for state and local taxes (SALT). Over 30 states, including California, have implemented “workaround” measures benefiting PTE owners to counter this. These provisions allow partnerships, LLCs, and S corporations to pay entity-level state tax, providing owners with corresponding benefits, such as tax credits or deductions. This strategy lets your business bypass the SALT limit, resulting in potential federal business expense deductions.

Explore the Power of Cash Balance Retirement Plans

Cash balance retirement plans are making a comeback, especially for businesses with high-earning individuals who consistently hit their 401(k) limits. These plans offer a unique fusion of defined contribution and defined benefit plans, allowing businesses to claim substantial deductions for contributions.

Remember, under the original SECURE Act, businesses have until their federal filing deadline (including extensions) to set up a cash balance plan. But here’s the practical insight: it takes some time to get everything in order—documents, contribution calculations, and administrative tasks. So, it’s wise to kickstart the process sooner rather than later.

This strategy helps secure your financial future and offers a valuable tax advantage for your business.

Strategically Time Income and Expenses

Are you using the cash method for income tax reporting? Consider accelerating year-end deductions in December and deferring income until January to optimize your 2023 income. For instance, pay bills and employee bonuses for 2023 before year-end and stock up on supplies to accelerate deductions. Conversely, if higher profits are anticipated in the upcoming year, consider the opposite approach—accelerate income and postpone deductions to maximize their value. Consider the impact on your Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction, especially if your business operates as a pass-through entity.

Harness the Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction

A cornerstone of the 2017 tax reform, the QBI deduction for pass-through entities allows owners to claim up to 20% of their QBI, subject to specific limitations. Manage your taxable income wisely, as accelerated depreciation and certain tax breaks tied to taxable income can affect your QBI and subsequent deductions.

Optimize Asset Purchases

Seize the opportunity for first-year bonus depreciation for qualified property acquired and placed in service in 2023. While the benefit gradually diminishes, it remains at 80% for this tax year. Prioritize using IRC Section 179 expensing election for asset purchases, enabling you to deduct 100% of the purchase price for eligible assets. Be aware of the $1.16 million maximum deduction and plan strategically to maximize this tax-saving tool.

Leverage the 100% Gain Exclusion for Qualified Small Business Stock

Explore the 100% federal income tax gain exclusion for eligible sales of Qualified Small Business Corporation (QSBC) stock acquired after September 27, 2010. Hold QSBC shares for over five years to qualify for the gain exclusion. Planning is crucial to secure this exclusion privilege.

Embrace Family Employment

Employing family members can be a strategic move to reduce overall tax liability. Deduct wages and benefits, including medical benefits, paid to family employees, reducing self-employment tax liability. Wages paid to children under 18 are not subject to federal employment taxes, providing potential tax savings.

Remember, seemingly minor tax decisions may have significant consequences. Please consult with us to ensure your business makes informed year-end tax planning moves that align with your goals.

As the end of the tax year approaches, it’s essential to consider strategies to minimize your 2023 federal tax liability. The current landscape presents challenges with market volatility, persistent high-interest rates, and notable adjustments to retirement planning regulations. Despite this uncertainty, there is still an opportunity to implement year-end tax planning techniques to reduce your tax bill. Whether you are contemplating investment decisions, charitable contributions, or estate planning, there are practical strategies to optimize your tax plan.

Strategic Itemized Deductions

With a standard deduction of $13,850 for single filers, $27,700 for married couples filing jointly, and $20,800 for heads of households in 2023, assessing your itemized deductions is crucial. Consider strategically timing your itemized deduction items by “bunching” them to exceed the standard deduction every other year. This approach can help lower your tax bill this year, and in the following year, you can take advantage of the increased standard deduction to account for inflation.

Potential candidates for itemized deductions include:

It’s worth noting the possibility of future changes to the value of itemized deductions, emphasizing the importance of maximizing these deductions while current regulations permit.

Navigate Investment Gains and Losses

Effectively managing your investment portfolio can influence your tax liability. Consider the strategic sale of appreciated securities held for over 12 months in 2023, leveraging the favorable 15% federal income tax rate on long-term capital gains. It’s crucial to remember that this rate can increase to 20% for individuals with higher income levels. Equally important is evaluating stocks valued below your initial investment (tax basis). Realizing capital losses this year could offset various gains, including short-term capital gains taxed at ordinary income rates. Always be aware of the wash sale rules before reacquiring recently sold or purchased stocks. This approach allows you to navigate the complexities of the market while optimizing your tax position.

Strategic Philanthropy Options

Embrace unique avenues for philanthropy tailored to your preferences:

Roth IRA Conversions: 

Safeguard a portion or all of your retirement savings from potential tax rate increases by converting traditional IRAs into Roth accounts. While you’ll incur taxes on the conversion as if it were a traditional IRA distribution, this approach is most beneficial when anticipating remaining in the same or higher tax bracket during retirement. Notably, the current tax impact from conversion may be a small price to pay for evading potentially higher future tax rates on post-conversion earnings. Additionally, the flexibility exists to convert varying amounts over several years, allowing you to tailor the strategy to your circumstances.

Annual Gift Tax Exclusion:

If concerns arise about a potentially taxable estate, leverage the annual gift tax exclusion as an effortless method to reduce your taxable estate. In 2023, seize the opportunity to make annual exclusion gifts up to $17,000 per donee, with no limitations on the number of donees. The joint annual exclusion gift limit for couples reaches $34,000 per donee. These tax-free gifts don’t impact your lifetime gifting exemption, providing an effective means to manage your estate’s tax implications.

Energy Credits:

Homeowners investing in energy-efficient improvements can claim an Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, covering up to 30% of qualified expenses, capped at $1,200 annually for energy property costs and an additional $2,000 for qualified heat pumps. Ensure compliance with energy.gov guidelines to include expenses related to doors, windows, air conditioning, and insulation materials. Additionally, explore Residential Clean Energy Credits for qualifying expenses related to solar and alternative energy sources, offering potential tax advantages for environmentally conscious choices.

Pass-Through Entity (PTE) Regime:

Given the $10,000 limitation on state and local tax deductions for individuals, assess the advantages of participating in the Pass-Through Entity (PTE) tax regime. Many states allow pass-through entities to pay and deduct the full state taxes on behalf of partners/shareholders. If you receive substantial income from a partnership or S corporation, consider engaging in the PTE tax regime when recommended by the entity representative. Alternatively, if you hold a significant stake in a pass-through entity not currently electing this option, it’s worthwhile to explore whether participating makes sense for your overall tax strategy.

Retirement Account Contributions:

Strengthen your financial foundation and simultaneously impact your tax liabilities by directing funds into your 401(k) or IRA. Capitalize on valuable tax advantages, including tax-deferred growth and potential deductions. For the tax year 2023, individuals can contribute up to $22,500 to their 401(k), with an additional $7,500 catch-up contribution for those aged 50 or older. Traditional IRA contributions are capped at $6,500, with a $1,000 catch-up provision for individuals over 50. Remember to make contributions by April 15, 2024, to qualify for the 2023 tax year. This proactive approach allows you to fortify your financial future while making a meaningful impact on your tax obligations.

Taking a proactive approach to tax planning can yield significant benefits for your next tax bill. Strategically assessing your financial landscape and implementing these practical tips can help you navigate the complexities of the 2023 tax year.

Managing federal tax debts exceeding $59,000 requires careful attention and strategic actions. This article discusses the process, implications, and steps to resolve substantial tax debts that could impact your passport status.

Understanding Substantial Tax Debt

A “seriously delinquent” tax debt is a federal tax liability exceeding $59,000 (to increase annually for inflation), including interest and penalties (indexed annually for inflation). It triggers when either a Notice of Federal Tax Lien has been filed, all administrative remedies under IRC §6320 have lapsed, or a levy has been issued.

IRS Reporting to the State Department

Upon reaching this threshold, the IRS can report the liability to the U.S. State Department under IRC §7345. The consequence may involve the State Department withholding passport renewals, issuing new passports, or revoking existing ones. U.S. citizens abroad with revoked passports can still use them for return travel to the U.S., as limited passports may be issued.

Responding to IRS Certification

When the IRS certifies a taxpayer’s debt, they receive Notice CP508C. However, resolution options exist, including:

Several exceptions exist that exclude taxpayers from being considered seriously delinquent, such as bankruptcy, residing in a federally declared disaster area, a debt deemed not collectible due to hardship, or having a pending installment agreement or offer in compromise.

Taking Action: Resolving Passport Issues

If a taxpayer believes the certification is erroneous or falls into one of the exceptions, they can initiate resolution by contacting the number provided on CP508C. Additionally, taxpayers can file a suit in a Tax Court or district court to challenge the accuracy of the certification.

Upon successfully resolving the tax issue, the IRS commits to reversing the certification within 30 days, allowing individuals to regain control over their passport status.

Stay informed and proactively address substantial tax debts and passport-related concerns. Understanding the process and available options is crucial for business owners navigating the complexities of IRS certification. If you are in this situation, take the necessary steps to resolve the issue and regain control over your financial and travel matters.

In today’s competitive business landscape, understanding the intricate world of tax regulations is more than just compliance – it’s a strategic imperative for maximizing profitability. Effective tax planning is a vital component of financial management for business owners, influencing key decisions and shaping the path to growth and success.

 

The Impact of Tax Planning on Business Decisions

Tax planning is not just an annual ritual; it’s an ongoing process that requires foresight and strategic thinking. It involves understanding how different tax regulations impact your business operations and making informed decisions to minimize liabilities and maximize returns.

Strategic decision-making can be impacted by tax planning. Many crucial business choices, from investment options and capital allocation to expansion strategies, may offer opportunities for advanced tax planning. This involves identifying tax-efficient strategies to maximize deductions, credits, and incentives, especially beneficial in sectors like renewable energy or technology.

The choice of business structure –sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation – carries significant tax implications. Understanding how each structure affects your tax obligations can guide you in structuring or restructuring your business for optimal tax efficiency.

Tax rates and regulations can vary significantly across regions. This aspect is crucial for businesses considering expansion or relocation. Analyzing local tax environments can lead to more informed geographical decisions, balancing operational costs with tax advantages.

Tax planning plays a critical role in managing both capital and operational costs. It involves strategies like timing expenses, purchases, and other financial moves to align with favorable tax conditions.

Staying abreast of potential tax laws and policy changes is crucial for proactive planning. This foresight allows businesses to adjust strategies in advance, avoiding surprises and capitalizing on new opportunities.

Effective Tax Management Techniques

Effective tax management is crucial for maximizing profitability and ensuring long-term business success. Here are 4 tax management techniques you can put into practice today.

  1. 1. Maximize Deductions and Credits:

Regularly review your expenses to identify all possible deductions. Keep abreast of new tax credits your business might qualify for, especially those related to innovation or environmental sustainability.

  1. 2. Leverage Tax Deferral Opportunities:

Explore opportunities to defer taxes, such as pension plans or other retirement savings options, which can significantly reduce current tax liabilities.

  1. 3. Utilize Technology for Tax Management:

Implementing tax management software can help track expenses, manage deductions, and stay compliant with ever-changing tax laws.

  1. 4. Seek Professional Advice:

Consulting with tax professionals can provide insights into complex tax scenarios and assist in strategic planning tailored to your business needs.

 

By understanding and utilizing tax planning as a strategic tool, you empower your business not just to comply with tax laws but to leverage them as a lever for financial success and stability.

Tax credits are far more valuable than tax deductions. Unlike a deduction, which reduces a business’s taxable income, a credit reduces the business’s tax liability dollar for dollar. Tax credits aren’t unlimited, however. For businesses, the aggregate value of tax credits may be limited by the general business credit (GBC), found in Internal Revenue Code Section 38. Taxpayers should familiarize themselves with the GBC so they can understand the value of their business credits and identify tax-saving opportunities.

How it works

The GBC isn’t a tax credit in the usual sense. Rather, it’s a collection of dozens of business-related credits scattered throughout the tax code. (See the sidebar, “What’s included in the GBC?”) Each credit must be claimed separately, according to its specific rules and using the relevant tax forms. Taxpayers that claim more than one credit, however, must also file Form 3800 to report the aggregate value of those credits and calculate the overall allowable credit under the GBC.

The GBC limits total credits in a given year to the excess (if any) of a taxpayer’s net income tax over the greater of:

For purposes of calculating the GBC, “net income tax” is the sum of the taxpayer’s regular tax liability and AMT liability, reduced by certain non-GBC credits. “Net regular tax liability” is regular tax liability reduced by certain credits.

The GBC limit essentially prevents taxpayers from using credits to avoid AMT. In recent years, that hasn’t been an issue for C corporations, because the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) repealed the corporate AMT. Although the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act established a new corporate minimum tax for corporations with “book profits” over $1 billion for tax years beginning after December 31, 2022, it generally doesn’t limit the GBC.

The AMT for individuals still exists, though the TCJA substantially increased the AMT exemption and made other changes that mean fewer taxpayers are subject to it. Nevertheless, AMT still may limit the use of the GBC by individual taxpayers such as sole proprietors, partners and S corporation shareholders.

Treatment of unused credits

If the limits prevent a taxpayer from using all of the GBC, the unused credit may be carried back one year and then, if unused credit remains, carried forward up to 20 years. In a given year, the GBC is used in the following order:

These ordering rules essentially apply a first-in, first-out (FIFO) approach that minimizes the risk that unused credits will expire. Still, taxpayers with a large surplus of credits may risk losing credits that can’t be used within the 20-year carryforward period. Fortunately, the tax code provides some relief for taxpayers in this position.

Deduction for unused credits

To prevent taxpayers from “double-dipping,” the tax code generally doesn’t permit them to claim a tax credit and a tax deduction based on the same expenses. Thus, in the year that a GBC is generated, taxpayers generally must treat a portion of its expenses (equal to the amount of the credit) as nondeductible.

In many cases, when a credit is lost, Section 196 allows the lost credit amount to be claimed as a deduction. If the credit is lost because the 20-year carryforward period expires, the taxpayer may claim the deduction in the following tax year. If it’s lost because the taxpayer dies or ceases to exist, the deduction may be claimed for the year of death or cessation.

The Sec. 196 deduction may provide a tax-saving opportunity for C corporations contemplating a sale. It’s common for buyers to acquire a company’s stock and then make an election to treat the transaction as a deemed asset sale for tax purposes. But this can trigger substantial taxable gains for the seller. If the seller has significant unused GBCs, it may be able to use a Sec. 196 deduction to offset some or all of those gains (because the selling corporation ceases to exist).

Secure the credits you deserve

Determining GBCs for a given year, and calculating applicable limits, can be complicated. Be sure to work with your tax advisor to make the most of these valuable credits.

Sidebar: What’s included in the GBC?

A general business credit (GBC) consists of more than 30 individual tax credits that provide incentives for a variety of business activities. Examples include:

© 2023

The holiday season is here. During this festive season, your business may want to show its gratitude to employees and customers by giving them gifts or hosting holiday parties. It’s a good time to review the tax rules associated with these expenses. Are they tax deductible by your business and is the value taxable to the recipients?

Employee gifts

Many businesses want to show their employees appreciation during the holiday time. In general, anything of value that you transfer to an employee is included in his or her taxable income (and, therefore, subject to income and payroll taxes) and deductible by your business.

But there’s an exception for noncash gifts that constitute a “de minimis” fringe benefit. These are items small in value and given so infrequently that they are administratively impracticable to account for. Common examples include holiday turkeys or hams, gift baskets, occasional sports or theater tickets (but not season tickets), and other low-cost merchandise.

De minimis fringe benefits aren’t included in your employees’ taxable income yet they’re still deductible by your business. Unlike gifts to customers, there’s no specific dollar threshold for de minimis gifts. However, many businesses use an informal cutoff of $75.

Key point: Cash gifts — as well as cash equivalents, such as gift cards — are included in an employee’s income and subject to payroll tax withholding regardless of how small they are and infrequently they’re given.

Customer gifts

If you make gifts to customers or clients, they’re only deductible up to $25 per recipient, per year. For purposes of the $25 limit, you don’t need to include “incidental” costs that don’t substantially add to the gift’s value, such as engraving, gift wrapping, packaging or shipping. Also excluded from the $25 limit is branded marketing collateral — such as small items imprinted with your company’s name and logo — provided they’re widely distributed and cost less than $4 each.

The $25 limit is for gifts to individuals. There’s no set limit on gifts to a company (for example, a gift basket for all of a customer’s team members to share) as long as the cost is “reasonable.”

A holiday party

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, certain deductions for business-related meals were reduced and the deduction for business entertainment was eliminated. However, there’s an exception for certain recreational activities, including holiday parties.

Holiday parties are fully deductible (and excludible from recipients’ income) so long as they’re primarily for the benefit of employees who aren’t highly compensated and their families. If customers, and others also attend, a holiday party may be partially deductible.

Holiday cards

Sending holiday cards is a nice way to show customers and clients your appreciation. If you use the cards to promote your business, you can probably deduct the cost. Incorporate your company name and logo, and you might even want to include a discount coupon for your products or services.

Boost morale with festive gestures

If you have questions about giving holiday gifts to employees or customers or throwing a holiday party, contact us. We can explain the tax implications.

© 2023

One of the most appreciated fringe benefits for owners and employees of small businesses is the use of a company car. This perk results in tax deductions for the employer as well as tax breaks for the owners and employees driving the cars. (And of course, they enjoy the nontax benefit of using a company car.) Even better, current federal tax rules make the benefit more valuable than it was in the past.

Rolling out the rules

Let’s take a look at how the rules work in a typical situation. For example, a corporation decides to supply the owner-employee with a company car. The owner-employee needs the car to visit customers and satellite offices, check on suppliers and meet with vendors. He or she expects to drive the car 8,500 miles a year for business and also anticipates using the car for about 7,000 miles of personal driving. This includes commuting, running errands and taking weekend trips. Therefore, the usage of the vehicle will be approximately 55% for business and 45% for personal purposes. Naturally, the owner-employee wants an attractive car that reflects positively on the business, so the corporation buys a new $57,000 luxury sedan.

The cost for personal use of the vehicle is equal to the tax the owner-employee pays on the fringe benefit value of the 45% personal mileage. In contrast, if the owner-employee bought the car to drive the personal miles, he or she would pay out-of-pocket for the entire purchase cost of the car.

Personal use is treated as fringe benefit income. For tax purposes, the corporation treats the car much the same way it would any other business asset, subject to depreciation deduction restrictions if the auto is purchased. Out-of-pocket expenses related to the car (including insurance, gas, oil and maintenance) are deductible, including the portion that relates to personal use. If the corporation finances the car, the interest it pays on the loan is deductible as a business expense (unless the business is subject to the business interest expense deduction limitation under the tax code).

On the other hand, if the owner-employee buys the auto, he or she isn’t entitled to any deductions. Outlays for the business-related portion of driving are unreimbursed employee business expenses, which are nondeductible from 2018 to 2025 due to the suspension of miscellaneous itemized deductions under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. And if the owner-employee finances the car personally, the interest payments are nondeductible.

One other implication: The purchase of the car by the corporation has no effect on the owner-employee’s credit rating.

Careful recordkeeping is essential

Supplying a vehicle for an owner’s or key employee’s business and personal use comes with complications and paperwork. Personal use needs to be tracked and valued under the fringe benefit tax rules and treated as income. This article only explains the basics.

Despite the necessary valuation and paperwork, a company-provided car is still a valuable fringe benefit for business owners and key employees. It can provide them with the use of a vehicle at a low tax cost while generating tax deductions for their businesses. (You may even be able to transfer the vehicle to the employee when you’re ready to dispose of it, but that involves other tax implications.) We can help you stay in compliance with the rules and explain more about this fringe benefit.

© 2023

Gaining a competitive edge in today’s market requires more than understanding one’s financials. It requires using financial metrics strategically to enhance business success. The Profit Margin Ratio is a crucial financial metric that predicts future viability and competitiveness.

Understanding the Profit Margin Ratio

Profit margins allow businesses to identify operational efficiencies or deficiencies. It’s not about the total dollars earned. This ratio reveals what percentage of sales remains after covering the costs, providing a clear view of profitability.

Profit Margin Ratios come in 3 types: Gross, Operating, and Net. Each offers unique insights:

For example, with $1 million in revenue, a company’s Gross Profit Margin at a direct cost of $600,000 is 40%. If operating expenses are $200,000, the Operating Margin drops to 20%, and after $100,000 in additional expenses, the Net Profit Margin is 10%.

With these metrics, businesses can pinpoint where to cut costs or where to invest, ensuring sustained growth and profitability.

How Profit Margins Management Improved Profitability

By monitoring these margins, you can drive improved profitability, effective cost management, and enhanced operational efficiency. They can act as a warning flag to help identify areas to look into when things might not be right. For instance, while a strong Gross Profit Margin alongside a weak Net Profit Margin might show excessive administrative costs; conversely, a weak Gross Profit Margin with a strong Net Profit Margin could signal the need for pricing adjustments to better align with costs, both of which can guide you to specific improvements.

Implementing Profit Margin Analysis for Business Growth

Here are 5 steps you can take to implement profit margin analysis into your business:

Mastering Profit Margin Ratios equips you with the foresight to shape your business’s future. This financial mastery is a map guiding you toward sustainable growth and success. Embrace these insights, and with precision and the right tools, your business is on track to reach its fullest potential.

In the midst of holiday parties and shopping for gifts, don’t forget to consider steps to cut the 2023 tax liability for your business. You still have time to take advantage of a few opportunities.

Time deductions and income

If your business operates on a cash basis, you can significantly affect your amount of taxable income by accelerating your deductions into 2023 and deferring income into 2024 (assuming you expect to be taxed at the same or a lower rate next year).

For example, you could put recurring expenses normally paid early in the year on your credit card before January 1 — that way, you can claim the deduction for 2023 even though you don’t pay the credit card bill until 2024. In certain circumstances, you also can prepay some expenses, such as rent or insurance and claim them in 2023.

As for deferring income, wait until close to year-end to send out invoices to customers with reliable payment histories. Accrual-basis businesses can take a similar approach, holding off on the delivery of goods and services until next year.

Buy assets

If you’re thinking about purchasing new or used equipment, machinery or office equipment in the new year, it might be time to act now. Buy the assets and place them in service by December 31, and you can deduct 80% of the cost as bonus depreciation in 2023. This is down from 100% for 2022 and it will drop to 60% for assets placed in service in 2024. Contact us for details on the 80% bonus depreciation break and exactly what types of assets qualify.

Bonus depreciation is also available for certain building improvements.

Fortunately, the first-year Section 179 depreciation deduction will allow many small and medium-sized businesses to write off the entire cost of some or all of their 2023 asset additions on this year’s federal income tax return. There may also be state tax benefits.

However, keep in mind there are limitations on the deduction. For tax years beginning in 2023, the maximum Sec. 179 deduction is $1.16 million and a phaseout rule kicks in if you put more than $2.89 million of qualifying assets into service in the year.

Purchase a heavy vehicle

The 80% bonus depreciation deduction may have a major tax-saving impact on first-year depreciation deductions for new or used heavy vehicles used over 50% for business. That’s because heavy SUVs, pickups and vans are treated for federal income tax purposes as transportation equipment. In turn, that means they qualify for 100% bonus depreciation.

Specifically, 100% bonus depreciation is available when the SUV, pickup or van has a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating above 6,000 pounds. You can verify a vehicle’s weight by looking at the manufacturer’s label, which is usually found on the inside edge of the driver’s side door. If you’re considering buying an eligible vehicle, placing one in service before year end could deliver a significant write-off on this year’s return.

Think through tax-saving strategies

Keep in mind that some of these tactics could adversely impact other aspects of your tax liability, such as the qualified business income deduction. Contact us to make the most of your tax planning opportunities.

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If your business completes minor repairs by December 31, you can deduct those costs on your 2023 tax return. But different tax rules apply to improvements. As opposed to repairs, improvements are capital expenditures that must be written off over time.

Safe harbors

How can you tell whether work constitutes a repair or an improvement? It can be tricky. Fixing a broken windowpane is clearly a repair, while adding an indoor parking facility is obviously an improvement. But many expenses fall in between those two examples. Fortunately, IRS tangible property regulations offer more clarity.

Notably, the final regulations provide a safe-harbor rule under which you can currently deduct for federal tax purposes amounts paid for tangible property if you deduct those amounts for financial accounting purposes or in keeping your books and records. However, a dollar limit applies:

Additional rules apply that may limit or eliminate your current deduction for a particular expense.

There’s also a small businesses safe harbor under which businesses with $10 million or less in average gross receipts can elect to currently deduct improvements to a building with an unadjusted basis of $1 million or less. However, the total amount paid for repairs, maintenance and improvements to the building can’t exceed the lesser of $10,000 or 2% of the unadjusted basis.

Further IRS guidance

Routine maintenance costs generally are deductible in the year in which they’re incurred. An activity is “routine” if the business reasonably expects to perform it more than once during the property’s useful life (more than once over a 10-year period for buildings). Note: A business may capitalize these costs if this is consistent with its financial statements.

In addition, the traditional rule that improvements are capitalized and depreciated over time remains in place. But the regulations authorize a business to deduct some improvements (for example, an HVAC unit) if they are properly segregated.

A potential tax trap

If your business makes repairs and improvements at the same time, be aware that the IRS may lump the costs together as a general plan of betterment, causing you to forfeit a current deduction for repairs. All else being equal, arrange repair work separately at another time — preferably before 2024 if you want to reduce your 2023 tax liability.

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The IRS recently announced various inflation-adjusted federal income tax amounts. Here’s a rundown of the amounts that are most likely to affect small businesses and their owners.

Rates and brackets

If you run your business as a sole proprietorship or pass-through business entity (LLC, partnership or S corporation), the business’s net ordinary income from operations is passed through to you and reported on your personal Form 1040. You then pay the individual federal income tax rates on that income.

Here are the 2024 inflation adjusted bracket thresholds.

Key Point: These thresholds are about 5.4% higher than for 2023. That means that, other things being equal, you can have about 5.4% more ordinary business income next year without owing more to Uncle Sam.

Section 1231 gains and qualified dividends

If you run your business as a sole proprietorship or a pass-through entity, and the business sells assets, you may have Section 1231 gains that passed through to you to be included on your personal Form 1040. Sec. 1231 gains are long-term gains from selling business assets that were held for more than one year, and they’re generally taxed at the same lower federal rates that apply to garden-variety long-term capital gains (LTCGs), such as stock sale gains. Here are the 2024 inflation-adjusted bracket thresholds that will generally apply to Sec. 1231 gains recognized by individual taxpayers.

If you run your business as a C corporation, and the company pays you qualified dividends, they’re taxed at the lower LTCG rates. So, the 2024 rate brackets for qualified dividends paid to individual taxpayers will be the same as above.

Self-employment tax

If you operate your business as a sole proprietorship or as a pass-through entity, you probably have net self-employment (SE) income that must be reported on your personal Form 1040 to calculate your SE tax liability. For 2024, the maximum 15.3% SE tax rate will apply to the first $166,800 of net SE income (up from $160,200 for 2023).

Section 179 deductions

For tax years beginning in 2024, small businesses can potentially write off up to $1,220,000 of qualified asset additions in year one (up from $1,160,000 for 2023). However, the maximum deduction amount begins to be phased out once qualified asset additions exceed $3,050,000 (up from $2,890,000 for 2023). Various limitations apply to Sec. 179 deductions.

Side Note: Under the first-year bonus depreciation break, you can deduct up to 60% of the cost of qualified asset additions placed in service in calendar year 2024. For 2023, you could deduct up to 80%.

Just the beginning

These are only the 2024 inflation-adjusted amounts that are most likely to affect small businesses and their owners. There are others that may potentially apply, including: limits on qualified business income deductions and business loss deductions, income limits on various favorable exceptions such as the right to use cash-method accounting, limits on how much you can contribute to your self-employed or company-sponsored tax-favored retirement account, limits on tax-free transportation allowances for employees, and limits on tax-free adoption assistance for employees. Contact us with questions about your situation.

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The imminent enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is a critical turning point that demands immediate attention from business owners to avoid severe penalties. Ultimately, business owners need to understand that it’s the business owner’s responsibility to ensure you are following and meeting all reporting requirements for your business. This article will review some key points within the CTA, and business owners are advised to review the CTA to understand all of its requirements as they pertain to their specific situation.

The CTA Sets a New Standard for Business Ownership Disclosure

Under the CTA, the Beneficial Ownership Reporting requirements will be effective January 1, 2024. This reporting requirement mandates most U.S. corporate entities and foreign entities operating in the U.S. to report ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The CTA’s enactment establishes unprecedented protocols, compelling reporting entities to disclose the identities of their beneficial owners.

Key terms and definitions to know from the CTA:

Key Information Releases to Watch For

All reporting companies will submit their information electronically through the Beneficial Ownership Secure System (BOSS). The system is still in development and has not been launched as of the date of this article. You can expect detailed guidelines from FinCEN that will direct your next steps once it has.

Concrete Steps Towards Meeting CTA Requirements

Consequences of Ignoring New Compliance Requirements

Reporting requirements do not start until January 1, 2024, and FinCEN will not accept any reports until then. However, preparing your business for this reporting requirement is essential. The enforcement of the CTA includes significant penalties, including daily fines and possible imprisonment for non-compliance.

Key timeframes:

How Compliance Strengthens Your Business

The CTA is not just a regulatory hurdle; it’s a chance to build trust with clients and partners by demonstrating your commitment to transparency and ethical business practices. By embracing these changes, you comply with the law and position your business as trustworthy in a competitive market. While the requirements can seem daunting on the surface, reach out to our firm, and we can help you navigate and guide your research.

Additional resources for information: Small Entity Compliance Guide

If you have a parent entering a nursing home, taxes are probably the last thing on your mind. But you should know that several tax breaks may be available to help offset some of the costs.

Medical expense deductions

The costs of qualified long-term care (LTC), such as nursing home care, may be deductible as medical expenses to the extent they, along with other qualified expenses, exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI). But keep in mind that the medical expense deduction is an itemized deduction. And itemizing deductions saves taxes only if total itemized deductions exceed the applicable standard deduction.

Amounts paid to a nursing home are deductible as medical expenses if a person is staying at the facility principally for medical, rather than custodial care. Also, for those individuals, only the portion of the fee that’s allocable to actual medical care qualifies as a deductible expense.

If the individual is chronically ill, all qualified LTC services are deductible. Qualified LTC services are those required by a chronically ill individual and administered by a licensed health care practitioner. They include diagnostic, preventive, therapeutic, curing, treating, mitigating and rehabilitative services, and maintenance or personal-care services.

For someone to qualify as chronically ill, a physician or other licensed health care practitioner must certify him or her as unable to perform at least two activities of daily living (ADLs) for at least 90 days due to a loss of functional capacity or severe cognitive impairment. ADLs include eating, transferring, bathing, dressing, toileting and continence.

Qualifying as a dependent

If your parent qualifies as your dependent, you can add medical expenses you incur for him or her to your own medical expenses when calculating your medical expense deduction. We can help with this determination.

If you aren’t married and you meet the dependency tests for your parent, you may qualify for head-of-household filing status, which has a higher standard deduction and lower tax rates than filing as single. You may be eligible to use this status even if the parent for whom you claim an exemption doesn’t live with you.

Selling your parent’s home

In many cases, a move to a nursing home also means selling the parent’s home. Fortunately, up to $250,000 of gain from the sale of a principal residence may be tax-free. To qualify for the $250,000 exclusion, the seller must generally have owned the home for at least two years of the five years before the sale.

Also, the seller must have used the home as a principal residence for at least two of the five years before the sale. However, there’s an exception to the two-of-five-year use test for a seller who becomes physically or mentally unable to care for him- or herself during the five-year period.

LTC insurance

Perhaps your parent is still in good health but is paying for LTC insurance (or you’re paying LTC insurance premiums for yourself). If so, be aware that premiums paid for a qualified LTC insurance contract are deductible as medical expenses (subject to limits) to the extent that they, when combined with other medical expenses, exceed the 7.5%-of-AGI threshold. Such a contract doesn’t provide payment for costs covered by Medicare, is guaranteed renewable and doesn’t have a cash surrender value.

The amount of qualified LTC premiums that can be included as medical expenses is based on the age of the insured individual. For example, for 2023 the limit on deductible premiums is $4,770 for those 61 to 70 years old and $5,960 for those over 70.

Need more information?

This is just a brief overview of tax breaks that may help offset nursing home and related costs. Contact us if you need more information or assistance.

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Is your business depreciating over 30 years the entire cost of constructing the building that houses your enterprise? If so, you should consider a cost segregation study. It may allow you to accelerate depreciation deductions on certain items, thereby reducing taxes and boosting cash flow.

Depreciation basics

Business buildings generally have a 39-year depreciation period (27.5 years for residential rental properties). In most cases, a business depreciates a building’s structural components, including walls, windows, HVAC systems, elevators, plumbing and wiring, along with the building. Personal property — including equipment, machinery, furniture and fixtures — is eligible for accelerated depreciation, usually over five or seven years. And land improvements, such as fences, outdoor lighting and parking lots, are depreciable over 15 years.

Frequently, businesses allocate all or most of their buildings’ acquisition or construction costs to real property, overlooking opportunities to allocate costs to shorter-lived personal property or land improvements. In some cases, the distinction between real and personal property is obvious. For example, computers and furniture are personal property. But the line between real and personal property is not always clear. Items that appear to be “part of a building” may in fact be personal property. Examples are removable wall and floor coverings, removable partitions, awnings and canopies, window treatments, decorative lighting and signs.

In addition, certain items that otherwise would be treated as real property may qualify as personal property if they serve more of a business function than a structural purpose. These include reinforced flooring that supports heavy manufacturing equipment, electrical or plumbing installations required to operate specialized equipment and dedicated cooling systems for data processing rooms.

Identifying and substantiating costs

A cost segregation study combines accounting and engineering techniques to identify building costs that are properly allocable to tangible personal property rather than real property. Although the relative costs and benefits of a cost segregation study depend on your particular facts and circumstances, it can be a valuable investment.

Speedier depreciation tax breaks

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enhanced certain depreciation-related tax breaks, which may also enhance the benefits of a cost segregation study. Among other changes, the law permanently increased limits on Section 179 expensing, which allows you to immediately deduct the entire cost of qualifying equipment or other fixed assets up to specified thresholds.

In addition, the TCJA expanded 15-year-property treatment to apply to qualified improvement property. Previously, this tax break was limited to qualified leasehold-improvement, retail-improvement and restaurant property. And the law temporarily increased first-year bonus depreciation from 50% to 100% in 2022, 80% in 2023 and 60% in 2024. After that, it will continue to decrease until it is 0% in 2027, unless Congress acts.

Making favorable depreciation changes

It isn’t too late to get the benefit of faster depreciation for items that were incorrectly assumed to be part of your building for depreciation purposes. You don’t have to amend your past returns (or meet a deadline for claiming tax refunds) to claim the depreciation that you could have already claimed. Instead, you can claim that depreciation by following procedures, in connection with the next tax return you file, that will result in automatic IRS consent to a change in your accounting for depreciation.

Cost segregation studies can yield substantial benefits, but they’re not the best move for every business. Contact us to determine whether this strategy would work for your business. We’ll judge whether a study will result in tax savings that are greater than the costs of the study itself.

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If you’re planning to start a business or thinking about changing your business entity, you need to determine what will work best for you. Should you operate as a C corporation or a pass-through entity such as a sole-proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC) or S corporation? There are many issues to consider.

Currently, the corporate federal income tax is imposed at a flat 21% rate, while individual federal income tax rates currently begin at 10% and go up to 37%. The difference in rates can be alleviated by the qualified business income (QBI) deduction that’s available to eligible pass-through entity owners that are individuals, and some estates and trusts.

Individual rate caveats: The QBI deduction is scheduled to end in 2026, unless Congress acts to extend it, while the 21% corporate rate is not scheduled to expire. Also, noncorporate taxpayers with modified adjusted gross incomes above certain levels are subject to an additional 3.8% tax on net investment income.

Organizing a business as a C corporation instead of a pass-through entity may reduce the current federal income tax on the business’s income. The corporation can still pay reasonable compensation to the shareholders and pay interest on loans from the shareholders. That income will be taxed at higher individual rates, but the overall rate on the corporation’s income can be lower than if the business was operated as a pass-through entity.

More to take into account

There are other tax-related factors to take into consideration. For example:

As you can see, there are many factors involved in operating a business as a certain type of entity. This only covers a few of them. For more details about how to proceed in your situation, consult with us.

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In the business world, blending passion with profitability is essential. Financial accounting has evolved into a strategic cornerstone that sets successful enterprises apart. In the age of data-driven decision-making, integrating financial strategy is vital. This article will help you understand how strong financial accounting can help you achieve your goals.

The Intersection of Strategy and Finance:

Once regarded as a mere reporting tool, financial accounting now plays a crucial strategic role in advancing your business’s growth. This shift is driven by the concept that every financial data point conveys essential narratives about market trends, operational efficiencies, and untapped growth prospects. Understanding these insights can help you make better decisions that fuel your growth.

Evolving Metrics in the Business Landscape:

When it comes to making finance more strategic, consider starting with the metrics you are reviewing. The right metrics will not only help you manage and make more informed decisions about your business.

By integrating these financial metrics into your regular analysis, you can understand where your business stands financially and what strategic moves you can make to enhance its financial performance and value creation.

Implement a Balanced Scorecard:

Outside of upgrading the metrics you monitor, it’s also important to build a scorecard for your business. Beyond enhancing the metrics you track, it’s also vital to construct a business scorecard. The Balanced Scorecard approach goes beyond conventional financial measures, providing a holistic perspective of your organization that’s essential for long-term growth. This strategic planning and management system empowers you to align your business activities with the company’s vision and strategy, enhance both internal and external communication, and continually assess organizational performance relative to strategic objectives. Four Key areas to consider for your scorecard are listed below.

By integrating these four perspectives, the Balanced Scorecard helps you not only measure current performance but also provides a roadmap for operational excellence that drives future financial success.

Your Next Move:

The future belongs to businesses that blend financial acumen with operational prowess. Pause for a moment. Is your business truly leveraging the potential of integrated financial accounting? Reflect, re-strategize, and re-align. Need help? Reach out to see how we can help you make finance more strategic.

You may be familiar with the rule that permits a business to deduct employee bonuses this year if it pays them within 2½ months after the end of the tax year. It’s an attractive year-end planning technique that benefits your business and your employees: You enjoy a tax deduction this year, while your employees needn’t report the income until next year.

These tax benefits aren’t always available, however, so it’s important to understand the requirements. Here’s a quick review.

Accrual-basis taxpayers only; no related parties

If your business uses the cash method of accounting, you must deduct bonuses in the year they’re paid, even if they’re earned in the previous year. To accelerate bonus deductions into this year, your business must be on the accrual method of accounting.

Favorable tax treatment is limited to bonuses paid to unrelated parties. For a corporation, a related party is an individual who owns more than 50% of the company. For S corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies, related parties include any of their shareholders, partners or members.

Fixed and determinable

Even if the first two requirements are met, you can’t deduct a bonus this year unless it’s fixed and determinable as of December 31. Generally, this means that:

Many companies get tripped up by the “fixed and determinable” requirement because their bonus plans condition payment on the recipient’s continued employment through the payment date. If employees who leave the company before the payment date forfeit their bonuses, the company’s liability isn’t established by year end.

There may be a way to avoid this problem, however. Under IRS guidance, it’s possible to deduct bonuses earned this year, even if there’s a risk of forfeiture. The solution can be to use a properly designed bonus pool. For this strategy to work, the aggregate amount in the pool must be fixed by the end of the year. And, any forfeited bonuses must be reallocated among the remaining employees.

Handle with care

If you wish to accelerate deductions for bonuses paid next year, consult your CPA to make sure that you meet the requirements. It’s critical to design your bonus plan carefully to avoid any language that suggests bonuses aren’t fixed by the end of the year, such as retaining discretion to modify or cancel them or conditioning payment on board approval.

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Are employees at your business traveling and frustrated about documenting expenses? Or perhaps you’re annoyed at the time and energy that goes into reviewing business travel expenses. There may be a way to simplify the reimbursement of these expenses. In Notice 2023-68, the IRS announced the fiscal 2024 special “per diem” rates that became effective October 1, 2023. Taxpayers can use these rates to substantiate the amount of expenses for lodging, meals and incidentals when traveling away from home. (Taxpayers in the transportation industry can use a special transportation industry rate.)

Basics of the method

A simplified alternative to tracking actual business travel expenses is to use the “high-low” per diem method. This method provides fixed travel per diems. The amounts, provided by the IRS, vary from locality to locality.

Under the high-low method, the IRS establishes an annual flat rate for certain areas with higher costs of living. All locations within the continental United States that aren’t listed as “high-cost” are automatically considered “low-cost.” The high-low method may be used in lieu of the specific per diem rates for business destinations. Examples of high-cost areas include Boston, and San Francisco. Other locations, such as resort areas, are considered high-cost during only part of the year.

Under some circumstances — for example, if an employer provides lodging or pays the hotel directly — employees may receive a per diem reimbursement only for their meals and incidental expenses. There’s also a $5 incidental-expenses-only rate for employees who don’t pay or incur meal expenses for a calendar day (or partial day) of travel.

Reduced recordkeeping

If your company uses per diem rates, employees don’t have to meet the usual recordkeeping rules required by the IRS. Receipts of expenses generally aren’t required under the per diem method. But employees still must substantiate the time, place and business purpose of the travel. Per diem reimbursements generally aren’t subject to income or payroll tax withholding or reported on an employee’s Form W-2.

The FY2024 rates

For travel after September 30, 2023, the per diem rate for all high-cost areas within the continental United States is $309. This consists of $235 for lodging and $74 for meals and incidental expenses. For all other areas within the continental United States, the per diem rate is $214 for travel after September 30, 2023 ($150 for lodging and $64 for meals and incidental expenses). Compared to the FY2023 per diems, the high-cost area per diem increased $12, and the low-cost area per diem increased $10.

Important: This method is subject to various rules and restrictions. For example, companies that use the high-low method for an employee must continue using it for all reimbursement of business travel expenses within the continental United States during the calendar year. However, the company may use any permissible method to reimburse that employee for any travel outside the continental United States.

For travel during the last three months of a calendar year, employers must continue to use the same method (per diem or high-low method) for an employee as they used during the first nine months of the calendar year. Also, note that per diem rates can’t be paid to individuals who own 10% or more of the business.

If your employees are traveling, it may be a good time to review the rates and consider switching to the high-low method. It can reduce the time and frustration associated with traditional travel reimbursement. Contact us for more information or read the IRS notice here.

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The Social Security Administration recently announced that the wage base for computing Social Security tax will increase to $168,600 for 2024 (up from $160,200 for 2023). Wages and self-employment income above this threshold aren’t subject to Social Security tax.

Basic details

The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) imposes two taxes on employers, employees and self-employed workers — one for Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance, which is commonly known as the Social Security tax, and the other for Hospital Insurance, which is commonly known as the Medicare tax.

There’s a maximum amount of compensation subject to the Social Security tax, but no maximum for Medicare tax. For 2024, the FICA tax rate for employers will be 7.65% — 6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare (the same as in 2023).

2024 updates

For 2024, an employee will pay:

For 2024, the self-employment tax imposed on self-employed people will be:

Employees with more than one employer

You may have questions if an employee who works for your business has a second job. That employee would have taxes withheld from two different employers. Can the employee ask you to stop withholding Social Security tax once he or she reaches the wage base threshold? The answer is no. Each employer must withhold Social Security taxes from the individual’s wages, even if the combined withholding exceeds the maximum amount that can be imposed for the year. Fortunately, the employee will get a credit on his or her tax return for any excess withheld.

We’re here to help

Do you have questions about payroll tax filing or payments? Contact us. We’ll help ensure you stay in compliance.

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Ever wonder how IRS examiners know about different industries so they can audit various businesses? They generally do research about specific industries and issues on tax returns by using IRS Audit Techniques Guides (ATGs). A little-known fact is that these guides are available to the public on the IRS website. In other words, your business can use the same guides to gain insight into what the IRS is looking for in terms of compliance with tax laws and regulations.

Many ATGs target specific industries, such as construction, aerospace, art galleries, architecture and veterinary medicine. Other guides address issues that frequently arise in audits, such as executive compensation, passive activity losses and capitalization of tangible property.

Issues unique to certain taxpayers

IRS auditors need to examine all different types of businesses, as well as individual taxpayers and tax-exempt organizations. Each type of return might have unique industry issues, business practices and terminology. Before meeting with taxpayers and their advisors, auditors do their homework to understand various industries or issues, the accounting methods commonly used, how income is received, and areas where taxpayers might not be in compliance.

By using a specific ATG, an IRS auditor may be able to reconcile discrepancies when reported income or expenses aren’t consistent with what’s normal for the industry or to identify anomalies within the geographic area in which the business is located.

Updates and revisions

Some guides were written several years ago and others are relatively new. There isn’t a guide for every industry. Here are some of the guide titles that have been revised or added in recent years:

Although ATGs were created to help IRS examiners uncover common methods of hiding income and inflating deductions, they also can help businesses ensure they aren’t engaging in practices that could raise audit red flags. For a complete list of ATGs, visit the IRS website.

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Owning a business is an exciting journey filled with highs and lows. Establishing a clear, profit-driven strategy is one key factor that can tilt the scales toward success. The recent tax court case, Gregory v. Commissioner, highlighted how blurring the lines between hobbies and genuine business ventures can have significant financial implications. Not only did this case underscore the importance of clear delineation, but it also highlighted the potential tax pitfalls of not doing so. In this article, we’ll cover how to ensure your venture is seen as a legitimate business and not just a pricey pastime.

Understanding the Hobby Loss Conundrum

The “hobby loss” rules have made waves in the tax world, affecting many business activities, from horse breeding to charter boat operations and even Airbnb rentals. Only activities classified as what the IRS refers to as “engaged in for profit” are able to deduct expenses associated with the work. In other words, to be considered “engaged in for profit” means you set out with the intention of your business and activity to generate a profit. If the IRS determines the activity was not “engaged in for profit,” your ability to deduct associated expenses will be impacted. If your venture is potentially labeled a hobby, you could find yourself in a situation where you’re reporting full income without the benefit of crucial deductions.

In the case of Gregory discussed above, the business owner reported gross income equaling the business expenses, yet he couldn’t use the deductions due to the hobby classification. As a result, the ruling reduced his profit and increased the business’s taxes due, which is not the ideal scenario for any business owner.

Establishing a Profit Motive

The U.S. Tax Court and the Internal Revenue Service use a range of factors to determine whether a business truly has a profit motive. Remember, while starting a business around your passion is fantastic, the profit motive is what separates it as a sustainable business rather than an expensive hobby.

Four steps can make it a clear and recurrent theme in your business strategy.

Why This Matters to Business Owners

When your business displays a consistent profit-driven strategy, you’re protecting yourself from potential tax pitfalls and setting your venture up for long-term success. Adhering to these guidelines reflects solid business judgment that can benefit your company in the long run. Remember the consequences: a misclassified hobby can lead to reporting full income without deducing the expenses.

Take the Next Step

Are you currently engaged in a business activity that could toe the line between hobby and legitimate venture? Chat with your tax advisor. Discuss your profit-driven strategies and plans, taking lessons from the Gregory case. Continual reflection and adaptation, even in the face of enjoyable or recreational activities, are the keys to solidifying your business’s market placement.

The line between passion and profit is a fine one. Yet, with a clear, profit-driven strategy and awareness of nuances like the “hobby loss” rules, you can ensure your business thrives in today’s competitive marketplace. Stay informed, stay adaptable, and always keep that profit motive at the forefront of your business operations.

As of Sept. 14, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced an immediate halt to the processing of new claims for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) program. This decision is effective until at least the end of the current year. It comes in response to a significant influx of questionable ERC claims.

Why the IRS has Stopped Processing ERC’s:

The IRS has raised serious concerns about scams targeting honest small business owners. Reports suggest that many businesses, influenced by what the IRS termed aggressive marketing tactics, are applying for credits they’re not eligible for. Such questionable claims endanger businesses’ financial stability and put undue strain on the tax system. The intention behind this moratorium is to protect businesses and the integrity of the tax system from predatory tactics and fraudulent claims.

The IRS’s increasing focus on reviewing these claims for compliance has led to a substantial number of audits and criminal investigations. Their collaboration with the Justice Department aims to address and reduce the number of fraudulent claims and to tackle promoters pushing businesses toward such actions.

What This Means for Business Owners:

Based on what we know right now, here is how this halt might affect you as a small business owner:

When Will More Information be Available:

The IRS has said they will provide more details on various initiatives in the upcoming fall season—including more information on the settlement program, allowing businesses to repay any mistakenly received ERC funds without incurring penalties.

What Are the Next Steps for Small Business Owners:

This moratorium underscores the need for businesses to be vigilant and informed. In times of crisis, while relief measures like the ERC are invaluable, they can also become fertile ground for scams and misinformation. Ensure your business is protected from these threats by staying informed and seeking advice from trusted professionals.

If you read the Internal Revenue Code (and you probably don’t want to!), you may be surprised to find that most business deductions aren’t specifically listed. For example, the tax law doesn’t explicitly state that you can deduct office supplies and certain other expenses. Some expenses are detailed in the tax code, but the general rule is contained in the first sentence of Section 162, which states you can write off “all the ordinary and necessary expenses paid or incurred during the taxable year in carrying on any trade or business.”

Basic Definitions

In general, an expense is ordinary if it’s considered common or customary in the particular trade or business. For example, insurance premiums to protect a store would be an ordinary business expense in the retail industry.

A necessary expense is defined as one that’s helpful or appropriate. For example, let’s say a car dealership purchases an automated external defibrillator. It may not be necessary for the operation of the business, but it might be helpful and appropriate if an employee or customer suffers cardiac arrest.

It’s possible for an ordinary expense to be unnecessary — but, in order to be deductible, an expense must be ordinary and necessary.

In addition, a deductible amount must be reasonable in relation to the benefit expected. For example, if you’re attempting to land a $3,000 deal, a $65 lunch with a potential client should be OK with the IRS. (Keep in mind that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated most deductions for entertainment expenses but retained the 50% deduction for business meals.)

Examples of Taxpayers Who Lost Deductions in Court

Not surprisingly, the IRS and courts don’t always agree with taxpayers about what qualifies as ordinary and necessary expenditures. Here are three 2023 cases to illustrate some of the issues:

The deductibility of some expenses is clear. But for other expenses, it can get more complicated. Generally, if an expense seems like it’s not normal in your industry — or if it could be considered fun, personal or extravagant in nature — you should proceed with caution. And keep careful records to substantiate the expenses you’re deducting. Consult with us for guidance.

©️ 2023

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the fourth quarter of 2023. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements.

Note: Certain tax-filing and tax-payment deadlines may be postponed for taxpayers who reside in or have businesses in federally declared disaster areas.

Monday, October 2

Monday, October 16

Tuesday, October 31

Monday, November 13

Friday, December 15

Contact us if you’d like more information about the filing requirements and to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines.

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In recent years, merger and acquisition activity has been strong in many industries. If your business is considering merging with or acquiring another business, it’s important to understand how the transaction will be taxed under current law.

Stocks vs. Assets

From a tax standpoint, a transaction can basically be structured in two ways:

Note: In some circumstances, a corporate stock purchase can be treated as an asset purchase by making a “Section 338 election.” Ask us if this would be beneficial in your situation.

Buyer vs. Seller Preferences

For several reasons, buyers usually prefer to purchase assets rather than ownership interests. Generally, a buyer’s main objective is to generate enough cash flow from an acquired business to pay any acquisition debt and provide an acceptable return on the investment. Therefore, buyers are concerned about limiting exposure to undisclosed and unknown liabilities and minimizing taxes after the deal closes.

A buyer can step up (increase) the tax basis of purchased assets to reflect the purchase price. Stepped-up basis lowers taxable gains when certain assets, such as receivables and inventory, are sold or converted into cash. It also increases depreciation and amortization deductions for qualifying assets.

Meanwhile, sellers generally prefer stock sales for tax and nontax reasons. One of their main objectives is to minimize the tax bill from a sale. That can usually be achieved by selling their ownership interests in a business (corporate stock, or partnership or LLC interests) as opposed to selling business assets.

With a sale of stock or other ownership interest, liabilities generally transfer to the buyer and any gain on sale is generally treated as lower-taxed long-term capital gain (assuming the ownership interest has been held for more than one year).

Keep in mind that other areas, such as employee benefits, can also cause unexpected tax issues when merging with, or acquiring, a business.

Professional Advice is Critical

Buying or selling a business may be the most important transaction you make during your lifetime, so it’s important to seek professional tax advice as you negotiate. After a deal is done, it may be too late to get the best tax results. Contact us for the best way to proceed.

© 2023

Do you and your spouse together operate a profitable unincorporated small business? If so, you face some challenging tax issues.

The Partnership Issue

An unincorporated business with your spouse is classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, unless you can avoid that treatment. Otherwise, you must file an annual partnership return, on Form 1065. In addition, you and your spouse must be issued separate Schedule K-1s, which allocate the partnership’s taxable income, deductions and credits between the two of you. This is only the beginning of the unwelcome tax compliance tasks.

The Self-Employment (SE) Tax Problem

The SE tax is how the government collects Social Security and Medicare taxes from self-employed individuals. For 2023, the SE tax consists of 12.4% Social Security tax on the first $160,200 of net SE income plus 2.9% Medicare tax. Once your 2023 net SE income surpasses the $160,200 ceiling, the Social Security tax component of the SE tax ends. But the 2.9% Medicare tax component continues before increasing to 3.8% — thanks to the 0.9% additional Medicare tax — if the combined net SE income of a married joint-filing couple exceeds $250,000.

With your joint Form 1040, you must include a Schedule SE to calculate SE tax on your share of the net SE income passed through to you by your spousal partnership. The return must also include a Schedule SE for your spouse to calculate the tax on your spouse’s share of net SE income passed through to him or her. This can result in a big SE tax bill.

For example, let’s say you and your spouse each have net 2023 SE income of $150,000 ($300,000 total) from your profitable 50/50 partnership business. The SE tax on your joint tax return is a whopping $45,900 ($150,000 x 15.3% x 2). That’s on top of regular federal income tax.

Here are some possible tax-saving solutions.

Strategy 1: Use an IRS-approved method to minimize SE tax in a community property state

Under IRS Revenue Procedure 2002-69, for federal tax purposes, you can treat an unincorporated spousal business in a community property state as a sole proprietorship operated by one of the spouses. By effectively allocating all the net SE income to the proprietor spouse, only the first $160,200 of net SE income is hit with the 12.4% Social Security tax. That can cut your SE tax bill.

Strategy 2: Convert a spousal partnership into an S corporation and pay modest salaries

If you and your unincorporated spousal business aren’t in a community property state, consider converting the business to S corporation status to reduce Social Security and Medicare taxes. That way, only the salaries paid to you and your spouse get hit with the Social Security and Medicare tax, collectively called FICA tax. You can then pay modest, but reasonable, salaries to you and your spouse as shareholder-employees while paying out most or all remaining corporate cash flow to yourselves as FICA-tax-free cash distributions.

Strategy 3: Disband your partnership and hire your spouse as an employee

You can disband the existing spousal partnership and start running the operation as a sole proprietorship operated by one spouse. Then hire the other spouse as an employee of the proprietorship. Pay that spouse a modest cash salary. You must withhold 7.65% from the salary to cover the employee-spouse’s share of the Social Security and Medicare taxes. The proprietorship must also pay 7.65% as the employer’s half of the taxes. However, since the employee-spouse’s salary is modest, the FICA tax will also be modest.

With this strategy, you file only one Schedule SE — for the spouse treated as the proprietor — with your joint tax return. That minimizes the SE tax, because no more than $160,200 (for 2023) is exposed to the 12.4% Social Security portion of the SE tax.

Find Tax-Saving Strategies

Having a profitable unincorporated business with your spouse that’s classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes can lead to compliance headaches and high SE tax bills. Work with us to identify appropriate tax-saving strategies.

© 2023

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act liberalized the rules for depreciating business assets. However, the amounts change every year due to inflation adjustments. And due to high inflation, the adjustments for 2023 were big. Here are the numbers that small business owners need to know.

Section 179 Deductions

For qualifying assets placed in service in tax years beginning in 2023, the maximum Sec. 179 deduction is $1.16 million. But if your business puts in service more than $2.89 million of qualified assets, the maximum Sec. 179 deduction begins to be phased out.

Eligible assets include depreciable personal property such as equipment, computer hardware and peripherals, vehicles and commercially available software.

Sec. 179 deductions can also be claimed for real estate qualified improvement property (QIP), up to the maximum allowance of $1.16 million. QIP is defined as an improvement to an interior portion of a nonresidential building placed in service after the date the building was placed in service. However, expenditures attributable to the enlargement of a building, elevators or escalators, or the internal structural framework of a building don’t count as QIP and usually must be depreciated over 39 years. There’s no separate Sec. 179 deduction limit for QIP, so deductions reduce your maximum allowance dollar for dollar.

For nonresidential real property, Sec. 179 deductions are also allowed for qualified expenditures for roofs, HVAC equipment, fire protection and alarm systems, and security systems.

Finally, eligible assets include depreciable personal property used predominantly in connection with furnishing lodging, such as furniture and appliances in a property rented to transients.

Deduction for Heavy SUVs

There’s a special limitation on Sec. 179 deductions for heavy SUVs, meaning those with gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWR) between 6,001 and 14,000 pounds. For tax years beginning in 2023, the maximum Sec. 179 deduction for heavy SUVs is $28,900.

First-Year Bonus Depreciation has Been Cut

For qualified new and used assets that were placed in service in calendar year 2022, 100% first-year bonus depreciation percentage could be claimed.

However, for qualified assets placed in service in 2023, the first-year bonus depreciation percentage dropped to 80%. In 2024, it’s scheduled to drop to 60% (40% in 2025, 20% in 2026 and 0% in 2027 and beyond).

Eligible assets include depreciable personal property such as equipment, computer hardware and peripherals, vehicles and commercially available software. First-year bonus depreciation can also be claimed for real estate QIP.

Exception: For certain assets with longer production periods, these percentage cutbacks are delayed by one year. For example, the 80% depreciation rate will apply to long-production-period property placed in service in 2024.

Passenger Auto Limitations

For federal income tax depreciation purposes, passenger autos are defined as cars, light trucks and light vans. These vehicles are subject to special depreciation limits under the so-called luxury auto depreciation rules. For new and used passenger autos placed in service in 2023, the maximum luxury auto deductions are as follows:

These allowances assume 100% business use. They’ll be further adjusted for inflation in future years.

Advantage for Heavy Vehicles

Heavy SUVs, pickups, and vans (those with GVWRs above 6,000 pounds) are exempt from the luxury auto depreciation limitations because they’re considered transportation equipment. As such, heavy vehicles are eligible for Sec. 179 deductions (subject to the special deduction limit explained earlier) and first-year bonus depreciation.

Here’s the catch: Heavy vehicles must be used over 50% for business. Otherwise, the business-use percentage of the vehicle’s cost must be depreciated using the straight-line method and it’ll take six tax years to fully depreciate the cost.

Consult with us for the maximum depreciation tax breaks in your situation.

© 2023

In business, where every decision can tip the scales of success or failure, a robust financial strategy is imperative. Enter Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) – an often underappreciated yet pivotal function that can revolutionize how businesses plan, analyze, and project their financial future.

The Essence of FP&A in Accounting

What exactly is FP&A? At its core, FP&A serves as the bridge between strategic planning and its execution. It’s the analytical arm of the finance department, scrutinizing past performances and forecasting future trends. While traditional accounting looks backward, detailing where a company has been, FP&A looks forward, charting where it’s headed. It complements the accounting function by bringing an analytical and predictive dimension to the table. Together, they provide a holistic view of a company’s financial health.

Adding Value and More Than Just Number Crunching Through FP&A

FP&A is more than a tool reserved for accountants or financial experts. It’s an invaluable financial guide that acts as a compass for every entrepreneur and project manager. This financial guide offers:

By analyzing financial trends, FP&A drives strategic direction, ensures profitable revenues, and assists in budgeting and forecasting. It’s no wonder that businesses integrating FP&A report a 30% increase in forecast accuracy.

The Need for Agile FP&A

The business world is in constant flux. The days of static annual reviews have been left behind. With rapidly changing market dynamics, agility in financial planning isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. This fluid approach ensures that businesses remain proactive, ready to seize opportunities or avoid impending challenges.

Challenges Addressed by FP&A:

 Steps to Seamlessly Integrate FP&A in Project Planning

Conclusion: Navigating Tomorrow with FP&A Today

By understanding the nuances of FP&A and weaving it into business processes, companies can make informed decisions, minimize risks, and amplify profitability. In the unpredictable world of modern commerce, FP&A stands as a trusted compass, guiding firms towards a brighter future.

Let’s say you decide to, or are asked to, guarantee a loan to your corporation. Before agreeing to act as a guarantor, endorser or indemnitor of a debt obligation of your closely held corporation, be aware of the possible tax implications. If your corporation defaults on the loan and you’re required to pay principal or interest under the guarantee agreement, you don’t want to be caught unaware.

A Business Bad Debt

If you’re compelled to make good on the obligation, the payment of principal or interest in discharge of the obligation generally results in a bad debt deduction. This may be either a business or a nonbusiness bad debt deduction. If it’s a business bad debt, it’s deductible against ordinary income. A business bad debt can be either totally or partly worthless. If it’s a nonbusiness bad debt, it’s deductible as a short-term capital loss, which is subject to certain limitations on deductions of capital losses. A nonbusiness bad debt is deductible only if it’s totally worthless.

In order to be treated as a business bad debt, the guarantee must be closely related to your trade or business. If the reason for guaranteeing the corporation loan is to protect your job, the guarantee is considered closely related to your trade or business as an employee. But employment must be the dominant motive. If your annual salary exceeds your investment in the corporation, this generally shows that the dominant motive for the guarantee was to protect your job. On the other hand, if your investment in the corporation substantially exceeds your annual salary, that’s evidence that the guarantee was primarily to protect your investment rather than your job.

Except in the case of job guarantees, it may be difficult to show the guarantee was closely related to your trade or business. You’d have to show that the guarantee was related to your business as a promoter, or that the guarantee was related to some other trade or business separately carried on by you.

If the reason for guaranteeing your corporation’s loan isn’t closely related to your trade or business and you’re required to pay off the loan, you can take a nonbusiness bad debt deduction if you show that your reason for the guarantee was to protect your investment, or you entered the guarantee transaction with a profit motive.

More Rules

In addition to satisfying the above requirements, a business or nonbusiness bad debt is deductible only if you meet these three requirements:

Any payment you make on a loan you guaranteed is deductible as a bad debt in the year you make it, unless the agreement (or local law) provides for a right of subrogation against the corporation. If you have this right, or some other right to demand payment from the corporation, you can’t take a bad debt deduction until the rights become partly or totally worthless.

These are only some of the possible tax consequences of guaranteeing a loan to your closely held corporation. To learn all the implications in your situation, consult with us.

© 2023

The SECURE 2.0 law, which was enacted last year, contains wide-ranging changes to retirement plans. One provision in the law is that eligible employers will soon be able to provide more help to staff members facing emergencies. This will be done through what the law calls “pension-linked emergency savings accounts.”

Effective for plan years beginning January 1, 2024, SECURE 2.0 permits a plan sponsor to amend its 401(k), 403(b) or government 457(b) plan to offer emergency savings accounts that are connected to the plan.

Basic Distribution Rules

If a retirement plan participant withdraws money from an employer plan before reaching age 59½, a 10% additional tax or penalty generally applies unless an exception exists. This is on top of the ordinary tax that may be due.

The goal of these emergency accounts is to encourage employees to save for retirement while still providing access to their savings if emergencies arise. Under current law, there are specific exceptions when employees can withdraw money from their accounts without paying the additional 10% penalty but they don’t include all of the emergencies that an individual may face. For example, while participants can take penalty-free distributions to pay eligible medical expenses, they can’t take them for car repairs.

Here are some features of pension-linked emergency savings accounts:

Another Option to Help Employees

In addition to these accounts, SECURE 2.0 adds a new exception for certain retirement plan distributions used for emergency expenses, which are defined as unforeseeable or immediate financial needs relating to personal or family emergencies. Only one distribution of up to $1,000 is permitted a year, and a taxpayer has the option to repay the distribution within three years. This provision is effective for distributions beginning January 1, 2024.

Determine Whether There’s Time

In addition to what is outlined here, other rules apply to pension-linked emergency savings accounts. The IRS is likely to issue additional guidance in the next few months. Be aware that plan sponsors don’t have to offer these accounts and many employers may find that they need more time to establish them before 2024. Or they may decide there are too many administrative hurdles to clear. Contact us with questions.

© 2023

Does your business receive large amounts of cash or cash equivalents? If so, you’re generally required to report these transactions to the IRS — and not just on your tax return.

The Requirements

Each person who, in the course of operating a trade or business, receives more than $10,000 in cash in one transaction (or two or more related transactions), must file Form 8300. Who is a “person”? It can be an individual, company, corporation, partnership, association, trust or estate. What are considered “related transactions”? Any transactions conducted in a 24-hour period. Transactions can also be considered related even if they occur over a period of more than 24 hours if the recipient knows, or has reason to know, that each transaction is one of a series of connected transactions.

In order to complete a Form 8300, you’ll need personal information about the person making the cash payment, including a Social Security or taxpayer identification number.

The Definition of “Cash” and “Cash Equivalents”

For Form 8300 reporting purposes, cash includes U.S. currency and coins, as well as foreign money. It also includes cash equivalents such as cashier’s checks (sometimes called bank checks), bank drafts, traveler’s checks and money orders.

Money orders and cashier’s checks under $10,000, when used in combination with other forms of cash for a single transaction that exceeds $10,000, are defined as cash for Form 8300 reporting purposes.

Note: Under a separate reporting requirement, banks and other financial institutions report cash purchases of cashier’s checks, treasurer’s checks and/or bank checks, bank drafts, traveler’s checks and money orders with a face value of more than $10,000 by filing currency transaction reports.

The Reasons for Reporting

Although many cash transactions are legitimate, the IRS explains that the information reported on Form 8300 “can help stop those who evade taxes, profit from the drug trade, engage in terrorist financing and conduct other criminal activities. The government can often trace money from these illegal activities through the payments reported on Form 8300 and other cash reporting forms.”

Failing to comply with the law can result in fines and even jail time. In one case, a Niagara Falls, NY, business owner was convicted of willful failure to file Form 8300 after receiving cash transactions of more than $10,000. In a U.S. District Court, he pled guilty and was recently sentenced to five months home detention, fined $10,000 and he agreed to pay restitution to the IRS. He had received cash rent payments in connection with a building in which he had an ownership interest.

Forms Can be Sent Electronically

Businesses required to file reports of large cash transactions on Forms 8300 should know that in addition to filing on paper, e-filing is an option. The form is due 15 days after a transaction and there’s no charge for the e-file option. Businesses that file electronically get an automatic confirmation of receipt when they file.

Effective January 1, 2024, you may have to e-file Forms 8300 if you’re required to e-file other information returns, such as 1099 and W-2 forms. You must e-file if you’re required to file at least 10 information returns other than Form 8300 during a calendar year.

The IRS also reminds businesses that they can “batch file” their reports, which is especially helpful to those required to file many forms.

Record Retention

You should keep a copy of each Form 8300 for five years from the date you file it, according to the IRS. “Confirmation receipts don’t meet the recordkeeping requirement,” the tax agency added.

Contact us with any questions or for assistance.

© 2023

Let’s say you own highly appreciated land that’s now ripe for development. If you subdivide it, develop the resulting parcels and sell them off for a hefty profit, it could trigger a large tax bill.

In this scenario, the tax rules generally treat you as a real estate dealer. That means your entire profit — including the portion from pre-development appreciation in the value of the land — will be treated as high-taxed ordinary income subject to a federal rate of up to 37%. You may also owe the 3.8% net investment income tax (NIIT) for a combined federal rate of up to 40.8%. And you may owe state income tax too.

It would be better if you could arrange to pay lower long-term capital gain (LTCG) tax rates on at least part of the profit. The current maximum federal income tax rate on LTCGs is 20% or 23.8% if you owe the NIIT.

Potential Tax-Saving Solution

Thankfully, there’s a strategy that allows favorable LTCG tax treatment for all pre-development appreciation in the land value. You must have held the land for more than one year for investment (as opposed to holding it as a real estate dealer).

The portion of your profit attributable to subsequent subdividing, development and marketing activities will still be considered high-taxed ordinary income, because you’ll be considered a real estate dealer for that part of the process.

But if you can manage to pay a 20% or 23.8% federal income tax rate on a big chunk of your profit (the pre-development appreciation part), that’s something to celebrate.

Three-Step Strategy

Here’s the three-step strategy that could result in paying a smaller tax bill on your real estate development profits.

Establish an S corporation

If you individually own the appreciated land, you can establish an S corporation owned solely by you to function as the developer. If you own the land via a partnership, or via an LLC treated as a partnership for federal tax purposes, you and the other partners (LLC members) can form the S corp and receive corporate stock in proportion to your percentage partnership (LLC) interests.

Sell the Land to the S Corp

Sell the appreciated land to the S corp for a price equal to the land’s pre-development fair market value. If necessary, you can arrange a sale that involves only a little cash and a big installment note the S corp owes you. The business will pay off the note with cash generated by selling off parcels after development. The sale to the S corp will trigger a LTCG eligible for the 20% or 23.8% rate as long as you held the land for investment and owned it for over one year.

Develop the Property and Sell it Off

The S corp will subdivide and develop the property, market it and sell it off. The profit from these activities will be higher-taxed ordinary income passed through to you as an S corp shareholder. If the profit is big, you’ll probably pay the maximum 37% federal rate (or 40.8% percent with the NIIT. However, the average tax rate on your total profit will be much lower, because a big part will be lower-taxed LTCG from pre-development appreciation.

Favorable Treatment

Thanks to the tax treatment created by this S corp developer strategy, you can lock in favorable treatment for the land’s pre-development appreciation. That’s a huge tax-saving advantage if the land has gone up in value. Consult with us if you have questions or want more information.

© 2023

If you play a major role in a closely held corporation, you may sometimes spend money on corporate expenses personally. These costs may end up being nondeductible both by an officer and the corporation unless the correct steps are taken. This issue is more likely to happen with a financially troubled corporation.

What can’t you deduct?

In general, you can’t deduct an expense you incur on behalf of your corporation, even if it’s a legitimate “trade or business” expense and even if the corporation is financially troubled. This is because a taxpayer can only deduct expenses that are his own. And since your corporation’s legal existence as a separate entity must be respected, the corporation’s costs aren’t yours and thus can’t be deducted even if you pay them.

To make matters worse, the corporation won’t generally be able to deduct them either because it didn’t pay them itself. Accordingly, be advised that it shouldn’t be a practice of your corporation’s officers or major shareholders to cover corporate costs.

What expenses may be deductible?

On the other hand, if a corporate executive incurs costs that relate to an essential part of his or her duties as an executive, they may be deductible as ordinary and necessary expenses related to his or her “trade or business” of being an executive. If you wish to set up an arrangement providing payments to you and safeguarding their deductibility, a provision should be included in your employment contract with the corporation stating the types of expenses which are part of your duties and authorizing you to incur them. For example, you may be authorized to attend out-of-town business conferences on the corporation’s behalf at your personal expense.

What’s the best alternative?

Alternatively, to avoid the complete loss of any deductions by both yourself and the corporation, an arrangement should be in place under which the corporation reimburses you for the expenses you incur. Turn the receipts over to the corporation and use an expense reimbursement claim form or system. This will at least allow the corporation to deduct the amount of the reimbursement.

Contact us if you’d like assistance or would like to discuss these issues further.

© 2023

If you own an unincorporated small business, you probably don’t like the size of your self-employment (SE) tax bills. No wonder!

For 2023, the SE tax is imposed at the painfully high rate of 15.3% on the first $160,200 of net SE income. This includes 12.4% for Social Security tax and 2.9% for Medicare tax. The $160,200 Social Security tax ceiling is up from the $147,000 ceiling for 2022, and it’s only going to get worse in future years, thanks to inflation. Above the Social Security tax ceiling, the Medicare tax component of the SE tax continues at a 2.9% rate before increasing to 3.8% at higher levels of net SE income thanks to the 0.9% additional Medicare tax, on all income.

The S Corp Advantage

For wages paid in 2023 to an S corporation employee, including an employee who also happens to be a shareholder, the FICA tax wage withholding rate is 7.65% on the first $160,200 of wages: 6.2% for Social Security tax and 1.45% for Medicare tax. Above $160,200, the FICA tax wage withholding rate drops to 1.45% because the Social Security tax component is no longer imposed. But the 1.45% Medicare tax wage withholding hits compensation no matter how much you earn, and the rate increases to 2.35% at higher compensation levels thanks to the 0.9% additional Medicare tax.

An S corporation employer makes matching payments except for the 0.9% Additional Medicare tax, which only falls on the employee. Therefore, the combined employee and employer FICA tax rate for the Social Security tax is 12.4%, and the combined rate for the Medicare tax is 2.9%, increasing to 3.8% at higher compensation levels — same as the corresponding SE tax rates.

Note: In this article, we’ll refer to the Social Security and Medicare taxes collectively as federal employment taxes whether paid as SE tax for self-employed folks or FICA tax for employees.

Strategy: Become an S Corporation

While wages paid to an S corporation shareholder-employee get hit with federal employment taxes, any remaining S corp taxable income that’s passed through to the employee-shareholder is exempt from federal employment taxes. The same is true for cash distributions paid out to a shareholder-employee. Since passed-through S corporation taxable income increases the tax basis of a shareholder-employee’s stock, distributions of corporate cash flow are usually free from federal income tax.

In appropriate circumstances, an S corp can follow the tax-saving strategy of paying modest, but justifiable, salaries to shareholder-employees. At the same time, it can pay out most or all of the remaining corporate cash flow in the form of federal-employment-tax-free shareholder distributions. In contrast, an owner’s share of net taxable income from a sole proprietorship, partnership and LLC (treated as a partnership for tax purposes) is generally subject to the full ravages of the SE tax.

Potential Negative Side Effect

Running your business as an S corporation and paying modest salaries to the shareholder-employee(s) may mean reduced capacity to make deductible contributions to tax-favored retirement accounts. For example, if an S corporation maintains a SEP, the maximum annual deductible contribution for a shareholder-employee is limited to 25% of salary. So the lower the salary, the lower the maximum contribution. However, if the S corp sets up a 401(k) plan, paying modest salaries generally won’t preclude generous contributions.

Other Implications

Converting an unincorporated business into an S corporation has other legal and tax implications. It’s a big decision. We can explain all the issues.

© 2023

Government officials saw a large increase in the number of new businesses launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. And the U.S. Census Bureau reports that business applications are still increasing slightly (up 0.4% from April 2023 to May 2023). The Bureau measures this by tracking the number of businesses applying for Employer Identification Numbers.

If you’re one of the entrepreneurs, you may not know that many of the expenses incurred by start-ups can’t be currently deducted on your tax return. You should be aware that the way you handle some of your initial expenses can make a large difference in your federal tax bill.

Handling Expenses

If you’re starting or planning to launch a new business, here are three rules to keep in mind:

Rules to Qualify

In general, start-up expenses are those you incur to:

To qualify for the election, an expense also must be one that would be deductible if it were incurred after a business began. One example is money you spend analyzing potential markets for a new product or service.

To be eligible as an “organization expense,” an expense must be related to establishing a corporation or partnership. Some examples of organization expenses are legal and accounting fees for services related to organizing a new business and filing fees paid to the state of incorporation.

Decision to be Made

If you have start-up expenses that you’d like to deduct this year, you need to decide whether to take the election described above. Recordkeeping is critical. Contact us about your start-up plans. We can help with the tax and other aspects of your new business.

© 2023

As we increasingly embrace the post-pandemic era, the world of work has undergone a significant shift. Many companies have opted for remote work models, dispersing employees across various states and countries. However, while beneficial in many respects, this transition carries complex tax implications for businesses. Understanding and adapting these implications has become vital to business planning and decision-making.

Unraveling State Taxation Laws

To navigate the labyrinth of tax consequences linked with remote work, it’s crucial first to understand the term ‘nexus.’ In tax language, ‘nexus’ indicates a sufficient connection between a taxpayer and a jurisdiction that establishes tax obligations in that jurisdiction. Generally, there are two types of nexus tests – physical and economic.

  1. Physical Nexus: This is established by some form of physical presence within the jurisdiction, such as an office, warehouse, or employees. With the rise of remote work, employees in various states may create a physical nexus, thereby imposing tax obligations in those states.

 

  1. Economic Nexus: This is defined by a company’s economic activity within a state. Revenue from sales, the number of transactions, or service income sourced to the state can all create an economic nexus. It means that businesses may still have tax obligations even without physical presence due to their economic activity in a state.

The Risk of Double Taxation

One primary concern for remote workers and businesses is the potential risk of double taxation. Double taxation occurs when an employee works remotely in one state for a company located in another, resulting in tax obligations in both states. This can occur due to conflicting tax laws among states or the lack of coordination regarding the taxation rights of remote workers.

As such, the convenience of remote work might sometimes lead to the inconvenience of grappling with multiple state tax obligations. Understanding each state’s tax laws is essential and discussing with your financial advisor how to mitigate the risk of double taxation.

Employer’s Tax Obligations

The location of your employees can impact your business’s tax obligations significantly. As a business owner, you may need to register with each state where you have employees and comply with all tax obligations, including corporate income tax, gross receipts tax, franchise tax, and sales and use tax.

In addition, employment tax requirements such as income tax withholding, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation insurance need to be addressed in each jurisdiction where a remote employee is located. Failure to comply with these obligations can result in penalties, affecting your business’s financial health.

Preparing for the New Tax Landscape

Given the complexity of these tax issues, it’s important to conduct thorough research and consult with a financial advisor or tax professional. This can help you develop a comprehensive understanding of the relevant concepts, conduct regular reviews of the factors impacting your business, and, ultimately, avoid unwelcome surprises.

While navigating this new tax landscape can be challenging, it’s crucial to remember that being proactive in understanding these changes can help your business adapt more effectively to the evolving world of work. Through an informed approach and consistent monitoring, business owners can ensure compliance and take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the remote work model.

As a small business owner, every decision you make can significantly impact your business’s financial health and profitability. Among your numerous choices, selecting the right accounting method for your business stands out for its importance. The accounting method you opt for shapes your business’s bookkeeping practices, affects your financial reporting, tax liabilities, and profitability, and influences your future decisions. This article aims to demystify the two primary accounting methods – cash and accrual accounting, helping you understand their implications and selecting the most appropriate one for your business’s needs.

Understanding Cash and Accrual Accounting

At the core of accounting lie two main methods: cash-based and accrual-based accounting. Each approach has pros and cons and varies in suitability depending on your business’s size, scale, and nature.

Cash-Based Accounting: This method, characterized by simplicity and straightforwardness, records transactions only when cash is received or paid. It provides a clear picture of your actual cash flow, making it an ideal choice for small businesses, sole proprietors, or companies operating without inventory or on a purely cash basis. However, it’s worth noting that while this method helps you monitor your cash inflows and outflows closely, it might not offer a comprehensive overview of your financial health since it doesn’t account for outstanding receivables or payables.

Accrual-Based Accounting: Though more complex, this method provides a comprehensive picture of your financial status. Accrual-based accounting records income and expenses as earned or incurred, regardless of the actual cash transaction’s timing. It accounts for receivables, payables, assets, and liabilities, offering a real-time snapshot of your business’s financial status. This method benefits larger companies dealing with inventory, credit transactions, or businesses that are required to comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). However, it may seem overwhelming for small businesses due to its complexity and the resources required to maintain detailed records.

Choosing Between Cash and Accrual Accounting

Deciding between cash-based and accrual-based accounting requires careful consideration of several key factors:

  1. Nature and Size of Your Business: Cash-based accounting could be suitable if your business is relatively small and operates mainly on a cash basis without inventory. Conversely, accrual accounting might provide the detailed insights you need if your operations involve credit transactions, inventory, and a higher volume of transactions.
  2. Regulatory Requirements: According to regulatory requirements like GAAP, certain businesses must use accrual-based accounting. Understanding the regulations relevant to your industry and business size is important.
  3. Ease of Use vs. Comprehensive Overview: While cash-based accounting is simple and intuitive, making it ideal for small businesses, accrual-based accounting provides a detailed overview of your financial health, which is crucial for strategic decision-making.
  4. Financial Management Software: Various financial management software options are available today that cater to both accounting methods. FreshBooks, for instance, can be an excellent choice for cash-based accounting, while QuickBooks Online is highly suitable for businesses using accrual accounting.
  5. Business Goals and Available Resources: Consider your business goals and the resources you have at your disposal. If growth and expansion are your priorities, accrual accounting may provide the comprehensive financial perspective needed. However, cash-based accounting may serve you better if you focus on simplicity and effective cash flow management. Remember that accrual accounting, while comprehensive, may require more time and resources for record-keeping.

 

Remember, choosing an accounting method is not merely about understanding numbers; it’s about using this understanding to make informed decisions that align with your business’s financial goals. By selecting the right accounting method – cash or accrual – you can gain valuable insights into your business’s financial health and make decisions that steer your business toward a profitable future. The right choice will empower you, equipping you with the financial clarity necessary to successfully navigate your business’s financial landscape.

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the third quarter of 2023. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements.

July 31 

August 10 

September 15

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Your business may be able to claim big first-year depreciation tax deductions for eligible real estate expenditures rather than depreciate them over several years. But should you? It’s not as simple as it may seem.

Qualified Improvement Property

For qualifying assets placed in service in tax years beginning in 2023, the maximum allowable first-year Section 179 depreciation deduction is $1.16 million. Importantly, the Sec. 179 deduction can be claimed for real estate qualified improvement property (QIP), up to the maximum annual allowance.

QIP includes any improvement to an interior portion of a nonresidential building that’s placed in service after the date the building is placed in service. For Sec. 179 deduction purposes, QIP also includes HVAC systems, nonresidential building roofs, fire protection and alarm systems and security systems that are placed in service after the building is first placed in service.

However, expenditures attributable to the enlargement of the building, any elevator or escalator, or the building’s internal structural framework don’t count as QIP and must be depreciated over several years.

Mind the Limitations

A taxpayer’s Sec. 179 deduction can’t cause an overall business tax loss, and the maximum deduction is phased out if too much qualifying property is placed in service in the tax year. The Sec. 179 deduction limitation rules can get tricky if you own an interest in a pass-through business entity (partnership, LLC treated as a partnership for tax purposes, or S corporation). Finally, trusts and estates can’t claim Sec. 179 deductions, and noncorporate lessors face additional restrictions. We can give you full details.

First-Year Bonus Depreciation for QIP

Beyond the Sec. 179 deduction, 80% first-year bonus depreciation is also available for QIP that’s placed in service in calendar year 2023. If your objective is to maximize first-year write-offs, you’d claim the Sec. 179 deduction first. If you max out on that, then you’d claim 80% first-year bonus depreciation.

Note that for first-year bonus depreciation purposes, QIP doesn’t include nonresidential building roofs, HVAC systems, fire protection and alarm systems, or security systems.

Consider Depreciating QIP Over Time

Here are two reasons why you should think twice before claiming big first-year depreciation deductions for QIP.

1. Lower-taxed gain when property is sold

First-year Sec. 179 deductions and bonus depreciation claimed for QIP can create depreciation recapture that’s taxed at higher ordinary income rates when the QIP is sold. Under current rules, the maximum individual rate on ordinary income is 37%, but you may also owe the 3.8% net investment income tax (NIIT).

On the other hand, for QIP held for more than one year, gain attributable to straight-line depreciation is taxed at an individual federal rate of only 25%, plus the 3.8% NIIT if applicable.

2. Write-offs may be worth more in the future

When you claim big first-year depreciation deductions for QIP, your depreciation deductions for future years are reduced accordingly. If federal income tax rates go up in future years, you’ll have effectively traded potentially more valuable future-year depreciation write-offs for less-valuable first-year write-offs.

As you can see, the decision to claim first-year depreciation deductions for QIP, or not claim them, can be complicated. Consult with us before making depreciation choices.

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If you and your employees are traveling for business this summer, there are a number of considerations to keep in mind. Under tax law, in order to claim deductions, you must meet certain requirements for out-of-town business travel within the United States. The rules apply if the business conducted reasonably requires an overnight stay.

Note: Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, employees can’t deduct their unreimbursed travel expenses on their own tax returns through 2025. That’s because unreimbursed employee business expenses are “miscellaneous itemized deductions” that aren’t deductible through 2025.

However, self-employed individuals can continue to deduct business expenses, including away-from-home travel expenses.

Rules That Come Into Play

The actual costs of travel (for example, plane fare and cabs to the airport) are deductible for out-of-town business trips. You’re also allowed to deduct the cost of meals and lodging. Your meals are deductible even if they’re not connected to a business conversation or other business function. Although there was a temporary 100% deduction in 2021 and 2022 for business food and beverages provided by a restaurant, it was not extended to 2023. Therefore, there’s once again a 50% limit on deducting eligible business meals this year.

Keep in mind that no deduction is allowed for meal or lodging expenses that are “lavish or extravagant,” a term that’s been interpreted to mean “unreasonable.”

Personal entertainment costs on the trip aren’t deductible, but business-related costs such as those for dry cleaning, phone calls and computer rentals can be written off.

Mixing Business with Pleasure

Some allocations may be required if the trip is a combined business/pleasure trip, for example, if you fly to a location for four days of business meetings and stay on for an additional three days of vacation. Only the costs of meals, lodging, etc., incurred for the business days are deductible — not those incurred for the personal vacation days.

On the other hand, with respect to the cost of the travel itself (plane fare, etc.), if the trip is primarily business, the travel cost can be deducted in its entirety and no allocation is required. Conversely, if the trip is primarily personal, none of the travel costs are deductible. An important factor in determining if the trip is primarily business or personal is the amount of time spent on each (although this isn’t the sole factor).

If the trip doesn’t involve the actual conduct of business but is for the purpose of attending a convention, seminar, etc., the IRS may check the nature of the meetings carefully to make sure it isn’t a vacation in disguise. Retain all material helpful in establishing the business or professional nature of this travel.

Other Expenses

The rules for deducting the costs of a spouse who accompanies you on a business trip are very restrictive. No deduction is allowed unless the spouse is an employee of you or your company, and the spouse’s travel is also for a business purpose.

Finally, note that personal expenses you incur at home as a result of taking the trip aren’t deductible. For example, let’s say you have to board a pet while you’re away. The cost isn’t deductible. Contact us if you have questions about your small business deductions.

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If you’re claiming deductions for business meals or auto expenses, expect the IRS to closely review them. In some cases, taxpayers have incomplete documentation or try to create records months (or years) later. In doing so, they fail to meet the strict substantiation requirements set forth under tax law. Tax auditors are adept at rooting out inconsistencies, omissions and errors in taxpayers’ records, as illustrated by one recent U.S. Tax Court case.

Facts of the Case

In the case, a married couple claimed $13,596 in car and truck expenses, supported only by mileage logs that weren’t kept contemporaneously and were made using estimates rather than odometer readings. The court disallowed the entire deduction, stating that “subsequently prepared mileage records do not have the same high degree of credibility as those made at or near the time the vehicle was used and supported by documentary evidence.”

The court noted that it appeared the taxpayers attempted to deduct their commuting costs. However, it stated that “expenses a taxpayer incurs traveling between his or her home and place of business generally constitute commuting expenses, which … are nondeductible.”

A taxpayer isn’t relieved of the obligation to substantiate business mileage, even if he or she opts to use the standard mileage rate (65.5 cents per business mile in 2023), rather than keep track of actual expenses.

The court also ruled the couple wasn’t entitled to deduct $5,233 of travel, meal and entertainment expenses because they didn’t meet the strict substantiation requirements of the tax code. (TC Memo 2022-113)

Stay on the Right Track

This case is an example of why it’s critical to maintain meticulous records to support business expenses for vehicle and meal deductions. Here’s a list of “DOs and DON’Ts” to help meet the strict IRS and tax law substantiation requirements for these items:

DO keep detailed, accurate records. For each expense, record the amount, the time and place, the business purpose, and the business relationship of any person to whom you provided a meal. If you have employees who you reimburse for meals and auto expenses, make sure they’re complying with all the rules.

DON’T reconstruct expense logs at year end or wait until you receive a notice from the IRS. Take a moment to record the details in a log or diary or on a receipt at the time of the event or soon after. Require employees to submit monthly expense reports.

DO respect the fine line between personal and business expenses. Be careful about combining business and pleasure. Your business checking account shouldn’t be used for personal expenses.

DON’T be surprised if the IRS asks you to prove your deductions. Vehicle and meal expenses are a magnet for attention. Be prepared for a challenge.

With organization and guidance from us, your tax records can stand up to inspection from the IRS. There may be ways to substantiate your deductions that you haven’t thought of, and there may be a way to estimate certain deductions (called “the Cohan rule”), if your records are lost due to a fire, theft, flood or other disaster.

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As we approach the halfway point of 2023, it’s the perfect opportunity to evaluate your business tax planning and determine ways to decrease your tax burden. Employing the right strategies can reduce your taxes, optimize your cash flow, and enhance your long-term financial success.

In this article, we’ll introduce three tax strategies for 2023: Roth IRA conversions, tax loss harvesting, and year-round charitable giving. By familiarizing yourself with these tactics and how they can benefit your enterprise, you can make well-informed decisions and capitalize on available tax savings. Let’s dive into these tax-saving concepts and explore the options available for your business.

The Benefits of Roth IRA Conversions for Your Retirement Plan

Roth IRA conversions effectively transform a portion of your traditional IRA into a tax-free asset that can provide you with cash distributions in your retirement years. Converting a portion of your traditional IRA can save you taxes at a potentially lower marginal tax rate and create a tax-free asset that can serve as a mechanism for tax redistribution during retirement. Even better, consider using this strategy as a future legacy asset for your beneficiaries.

By converting to a Roth IRA, you can ensure your desired assets are passed onto your loved ones.

Tax Loss Harvesting

Tax loss harvesting is a strategy that involves taking advantage of market volatility to generate a tax asset using captured capital losses. These losses can be used to offset future capital gains, and any remaining losses can be used to offset gains in subsequent years. Another effective strategy involves pairing these losses with qualified opportunity zones, which can further reduce your tax liabilities.

Investors who suffered losses due to the steep decline of the cryptocurrency and stock markets can benefit from this approach. The recent market downturn could also lead more investors to opportunity zone funds, presenting an excellent opportunity to maximize tax benefits.

Year-Round Charitable Giving

End-of-year charitable donations have long been a go-to for taxpayers seeking tax deductions. However, there are benefits to giving year-round, especially when combined with investments.

For example, investors with appreciated securities in a taxable account can use these securities to fulfill their philanthropic goals. This strategy allows for a fair market value deduction without having to pay taxes on the capital gain. It’s a practical way to donate without sacrificing your end-of-the-year cash or check donation.

Charitable remainder trusts offer another means of donating to worthwhile causes and taking advantage of tax breaks. Although the lower interest rates over the last few years have cooled investor interest in these trusts, the benefits of using these trusts become increasingly clear as rates rise.

Don’t wait until the end of the year to give back. Consider these charitable giving strategies to boost your philanthropic impact and build a better future.

Actionable Key Takeaways

Remember, it’s essential to review your tax planning regularly to take advantage of available opportunities and ensure you’re putting your assets to their best use. With these actionable takeaways, you can start making informed decisions today and set your business up for long-term financial success.

 

The IRS recently released guidance providing the 2024 inflation-adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

HSA Fundamentals

An HSA is a trust created or organized exclusively for the purpose of paying the “qualified medical expenses” of an “account beneficiary.” An HSA can only be established for the benefit of an “eligible individual” who is covered under a “high-deductible health plan.” In addition, a participant can’t be enrolled in Medicare or have other health coverage (exceptions include dental, vision, long-term care, accident and specific disease insurance).

Within specified dollar limits, an above-the-line tax deduction is allowed for an individual’s contributions to an HSA. This annual contribution limitation and the annual deductible and out-of-pocket expenses under the tax code are adjusted annually for inflation.

Inflation Adjustments for Next Year

In Revenue Procedure 2023-23, the IRS released the 2024 inflation-adjusted figures for contributions to HSAs, which are as follows:

Annual contribution limitation. For calendar year 2024, the annual contribution limitation for an individual with self-only coverage under an HDHP will be $4,150. For an individual with family coverage, the amount will be $8,300. This is up from $3,850 and $7,750, respectively, in 2023.

There is an additional $1,000 “catch-up” contribution amount for those age 55 and older in 2024 (and 2023).

High-deductible health plan defined. For calendar year 2024, an HDHP will be a health plan with an annual deductible that isn’t less than $1,600 for self-only coverage or $3,200 for family coverage (up from $1,500 and $3,000, respectively, in 2023). In addition, annual out-of-pocket expenses (deductibles, co-payments, and other amounts, but not premiums) won’t be able to exceed $8,050 for self-only coverage or $16,100 for family coverage (up from $7,500 and $15,000, respectively, in 2023).

Advantages of HSAs

There are a variety of benefits to HSAs. Contributions to the accounts are made on a pre-tax basis. The money can accumulate tax-free year after year and can be withdrawn tax-free to pay for a variety of medical expenses such as doctor visits, prescriptions, chiropractic care and premiums for long-term care insurance. In addition, an HSA is “portable.” It stays with an account holder if he or she changes employers or leaves the workforce. Contact your employee benefits and tax advisors if you have questions about HSAs at your business.

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Many businesses use independent contractors to help keep their costs down — especially in these times of staff shortages and inflationary pressures. If you’re among them, be careful that these workers are properly classified for federal tax purposes. If the IRS reclassifies them as employees, it can be an expensive mistake.

The question of whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee for federal income and employment tax purposes is a complex one. If a worker is an employee, your company must withhold federal income and payroll taxes and pay the employer’s share of FICA taxes on the wages, plus FUTA tax. A business may also provide the worker with fringe benefits if it makes them available to other employees. In addition, there may be state tax obligations.

On the other hand, if a worker is an independent contractor, these obligations don’t apply. In that case, the business simply sends the contractor a Form 1099-NEC for the year showing the amount paid (if it’s $600 or more).

No One Definition

Who’s an “employee?” Unfortunately, there’s no uniform definition of the term.
The IRS and courts have generally ruled that individuals are employees if the organization they work for has the right to control and direct them in the jobs they’re performing. Otherwise, the individuals are generally independent contractors. But other factors are also taken into account including who provides tools and who pays expenses.

Some employers that have misclassified workers as independent contractors may get some relief from employment tax liabilities under Section 530. This protection generally applies only if an employer meets certain requirements. For example, the employer must file all federal returns consistent with its treatment of a worker as a contractor and it must treat all similarly situated workers as contractors.
Note: Section 530 doesn’t apply to certain types of workers.

You Can Ask the IRS but Think Twice

Be aware that you can ask the IRS (on Form SS-8) to rule on whether a worker is an independent contractor or employee. However, you should also be aware that the IRS has a history of classifying workers as employees rather than independent contractors.

Businesses should consult with us before filing Form SS-8 because it may alert the IRS that your business has worker classification issues — and it may unintentionally trigger an employment tax audit.
It may be better to properly set up a relationship with workers to treat them as independent contractors so that your business complies with the tax rules.

Workers who want an official determination of their status can also file Form SS-8. Dissatisfied independent contractors may do so because they feel entitled to employee benefits and want to eliminate their self-employment tax liabilities.

If a worker files Form SS-8, the IRS will notify the business with a letter. It identifies the worker and includes a blank Form SS-8. The business is asked to complete and return the form to the IRS, which will render a classification decision.

These are the basic tax rules. Contact us if you’d like to discuss how to classify workers at your business. We can help make sure that your workers are properly classified.

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Whether you’re operating a new company or an established business, losses can happen. The federal tax code may help soften the blow by allowing businesses to apply losses to offset taxable income in future years, subject to certain limitations.

Qualifying for a Deduction

The net operating loss (NOL) deduction addresses the tax inequities that can exist between businesses with stable income and those with fluctuating income. It essentially lets the latter average out their income and losses over the years and pay tax accordingly.

You may be eligible for the NOL deduction if your deductions for the tax year are greater than your income. The loss generally must be caused by deductions related to your:

The following generally aren’t allowed when determining your NOL:

Individuals and C corporations are eligible to claim the NOL deduction. Partnerships and S corporations generally aren’t eligible, but partners and shareholders can use their separate shares of the business’s income and deductions to calculate individual NOLs.

Limitations

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) made significant changes to the NOL rules. Previously, taxpayers could carry back NOLs for two years, and carry forward the losses 20 years. They also could apply NOLs against 100% of their taxable income.

The TCJA limits the NOL deduction to 80% of taxable income for the year and eliminates the carryback of NOLs (except for certain farming losses). However, it does allow NOLs to be carried forward indefinitely.

A COVID-19 relief law temporarily loosened the TCJA restrictions. It allowed NOLs arising in 2018, 2019 or 2020 to be carried back five years and removed the taxable income limitation for years beginning before 2021. As a result, NOLs could completely offset income. However, these provisions have expired.

If your NOL carryforward is more than your taxable income for the year to which you carry it, you may have an NOL carryover. The carryover will be the excess of the NOL deduction over your modified taxable income for the carryforward year. If your NOL deduction includes multiple NOLs, you must apply them against your modified taxable income in the same order you incurred them, beginning with the earliest.

Excess Business Losses

The TCJA established an “excess business loss” limitation, which took effect in 2021. For partnerships or S corporations, this limitation is applied at the partner or shareholder level, after the outside basis, at-risk and passive activity loss limitations have been applied.

Under the rule, noncorporate taxpayers’ business losses can offset only business-related income or gain, plus an inflation-adjusted threshold. For 2023, that threshold is $289,000 ($578,000 if married filing jointly). Remaining losses are treated as an NOL carryforward to the next tax year. In other words, you can’t fully deduct them because they become subject to the 80% income limitation on NOLs, reducing their tax value.

Important: Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the excess business loss limitation applies to tax years beginning before January 1, 2029. Under the TCJA, it had been scheduled to expire after December 31, 2026.

Planning Ahead

The tax rules regarding business losses are complex, especially when accounting for how NOLs can interact with other potential tax breaks. We can help you chart the best course forward.

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Fraud. Scam. Phishing. Regardless of what you call these illicit activities, it’s important to protect yourself against the bad players that take advantage of weaknesses for their gain. Not only is it inconvenient, but there’s often a financial cost when you’re a victim of fraud.

The IRS releases an annual ‘Dirty Dozen’ list featuring the top taxpayer scams for the coming year. The list is certainly not exhaustive of every potential pitfall out there, but it is an excellent place to start educating yourself (and your team if you’re a business owner). Here’s a summary of the 2023 IRS Dirty Dozen.

Employer Retention Credit Promoters: Businesses have been targeted by companies claiming to help them submit tax returns and adjustments to take maximum advantage of the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). These promoters collect a fee for preparation services, which is often tied to the value of the proposed credit. Usually, the targeted businesses don’t qualify for the credit, so when the adjustment claim is either rejected by the IRS or found to be incorrect during an audit, the business is out the funds paid to the promoter, as well as any monies received from the ERC they were not eligible for and potential IRS fees.

Phishing and Smishing Scams: Emails, texts, phone calls. These are all popular channels for scammers trying to obtain sensitive information from taxpayers by lying and saying they work for the IRS. Please remember that the IRS will always initiate contact with taxpayers by mail.

Online Account Assistance: The IRS Online Account tool provides helpful information to taxpayers. Scammers are using this as an opportunity to learn social security numbers and other sensitive information by calling and offering to help taxpayer set up their online accounts. This can lead to identity theft and a big headache for taxpayers trying to sort everything out.

Fuel Tax Credit Promoters: Like the Employee Retention Credit promotors, Fuel Tax Credit promoters claim that the taxpayer is qualified for the credit when they may not be. These scammers usually charge a big fee to assist the taxpayer in submitting these claims.

Fake Charity Scams: Major disasters like hurricanes, floods, and wildfires can lead to an increase in counterfeit charities to dupe taxpayers. When these disasters occur, people want to help those affected. Scammers take advantage of this generosity by using fake charities as a front for stealing money and private information. Be sure to take the time to thoroughly research any organization before donating.

Shady Tax Preparers: Common warning signs of a shady tax preparer include charging a fee based on the size of the refund or refusing to sign the form as a preparer as required by law. Make sure you’re using a trusted and knowledgeable tax preparer.

Social Media Trends: While this may seem unsurprising to most, it bears repeating – you can’t always trust what you hear on the internet. Social media can circulate misinformation quickly, including ‘hacks’ for getting a bigger tax refund. These trends usually involve lying on tax forms or creating false income. The IRS reminds taxpayers that falsifying tax documents is illegal and penalties are involved.

Spearphishing Email Scams: Bad players have been sending email requests to tax preparers, and payroll and human resources teams to try and gain sensitive client and employee data like W-2 information. These requests can look like they’re from a potential new client, and the scammers then use the data they collect to submit a series of false tax refund filings and collect on the tax returns. Businesses can protect themselves with these cybersecurity tips.

Offer in Compromise Mills: Promoters target taxpayers that owe the IRS money by offering to settle their debts with the IRS at a steep discount for a fee. Many times, the targeted taxpayers don’t meet the technical requirements to obtain an offer, meaning they still owe the IRS the same amount and are paying excessive fees to these companies. Taxpayers can check their eligibility for an Offer in Compromise using this free IRS tool.

Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust Schemes: Promoters can misuse Charitable Remainder Annuity Trusts and monetized installment sales by misapplying the rules, leaving filers vulnerable. These types of schemes are often targeted at wealthy taxpayers.

Tax Avoidance Schemes: The IRS warns taxpayers to be wary of anyone claiming to reduce their taxes owed drastically or even to nothing. This could include micro-captive insurance arrangements, international accounts, and syndicated conservation easements.

Be diligent with your information, teach your employees how to recognize scams, and be sure to discuss any changes in tax strategy with your trusted tax professional. If anyone contacts you with a claim that seems too good to be true, it probably is.

 

If your business occupies substantial space and needs to increase or move from that space in the future, you should keep the rehabilitation tax credit in mind. This is especially true if you favor historic buildings.

The credit is equal to 20% of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures (QREs) for a qualified rehabilitated building that’s also a certified historic structure. A qualified rehabilitated building is a depreciable building that has been placed in service before the beginning of the rehabilitation and is used, after rehabilitation, in business or for the production of income (and not held primarily for sale). Additionally, the building must be “substantially” rehabilitated, which generally requires that the QREs for the rehabilitation exceed the greater of $5,000 or the adjusted basis of the existing building.

A QRE is any amount chargeable to capital and incurred in connection with the rehabilitation (including reconstruction) of a qualified rehabilitated building. QREs must be for real property (but not land) and can’t include building enlargement or acquisition costs.

The 20% credit is allocated ratably to each year in the five-year period beginning in the tax year in which the qualified rehabilitated building is placed in service. Thus, the credit allowed in each year of the five-year period is 4% (20% divided by 5) of the QREs with respect to the building. The credit is allowed against both regular federal income tax and alternative minimum tax.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was signed at the end of 2017, made some changes to the credit. Specifically, the law:

Contact us to discuss the technical aspects of the rehabilitation credit. There may also be other federal tax benefits available for the space you’re contemplating. For example, various tax benefits might be available depending on your preferences as to how a building’s energy needs will be met and where the building is located. In addition, there may be state or local tax and non-tax subsidies available.

Getting beyond these preliminary considerations, we can work with you and construction professionals to determine whether a specific available “old” building can be the subject of a rehabilitation that’s both tax-credit-compliant and practical to use. And, if you do find a building that you decide you’ll buy (or lease) and rehabilitate, we can help you monitor project costs and substantiate the compliance of the project with the requirements of the credit and any other tax benefits.

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California taxpayers should note the changes made to these tax laws over the last several months. Here’s an overview of what you may have missed:

Unclaimed Property Law and CA AB 466

California law requires holders of unclaimed property to attempt to notify owners of the property regularly, to keep records of the property and to turn over the property to the State Controller’s Office after the appropriate dormancy period. Unclaimed property could be:

Under California Assembly Bill 466, the dormancy period has been set to one year for payroll accounts and three years for Securities, Accounts Receivable and Payable, and Disbursements. The law also requires businesses to review their books and records annually to determine if they have any unclaimed property to report. Keep in mind, businesses must also complete the following reporting requirements:

In addition, the State of California identifies the following filling and reporting deadlines:

Property Tax Compliance

Personal property owners in California will receive annual assessments and tax bills for the personal property based on their county or local jurisdiction laws. In order to stay in compliance with tax laws, keep these points in mind:

Pass-through Entity (PTE) Taxes

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act limited the state tax deduction for personal income in pass-through entities to $10,000. In California, pass-through entities pay tax, and the PTE owns remain taxable on the distributive shares of income. However, the owners receive a tax credit for a share of the PTE tax. The nonrefundable tax credit can be carried forward for up to 5 years.

In order to qualify as a pass-through entity, the election must be made annually and consented to by each owner to the pass-through entity. Payments of more than $1,000 or 50% of the prior year PTE tax are due by June 15 of the current tax year, with the remaining due on March 15 of the following year. This is effective for tax years beginning January 1, 2021 or later and before January 1, 2026.

California City Business Taxes of Note

The following are business taxes that business owners should be aware of for San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Middle Class Tax Refund Tax Treatment

In late 2022 and early 2023, California issued qualified taxpayers a total of $9.2 billion in refunds of tax overpayments, called the Middle Class Tax Refund. The State of California noted these payments are not liable for state taxes previously. In February, the IRS determined that it will not challenge the tax treatment of these payments on 2022 tax filings, citing their general welfare and disaster relief exception.

Extension of Tax Filing and Payment Due Dates

Due to historically high rain, snow, and flooding in much of California, the IRS is offering disaster relief assistance in the form of due date extensions on required tax filings and payments. The new deadline for tax payments due from January through October is October 16, 2023. This includes:

For more information on the counties qualified for tax relief and what payments have been extended, please visit the IRS press release or call our team.

If you’re thinking about setting up a retirement plan for yourself and your employees, but you’re worried about the financial commitment and administrative burdens involved, there are a couple of options to consider. Let’s take a look at a “simplified employee pension” (SEP) or a “savings incentive match plan for employees” (SIMPLE).

SEPs are intended as an attractive alternative to “qualified” retirement plans, particularly for small businesses. The features that are appealing include the relative ease of administration and the discretion that you, as the employer, are permitted in deciding whether or not to make annual contributions.

SEP Involves Easy Setup

If you don’t already have a qualified retirement plan, you can set up a SEP simply by using the IRS model SEP, Form 5305-SEP. By adopting and implementing this model SEP, which doesn’t have to be filed with the IRS, you’ll have satisfied the SEP requirements. This means that as the employer, you’ll get a current income tax deduction for contributions you make on behalf of your employees. Your employees won’t be taxed when the contributions are made but will be taxed later when distributions are made, usually at retirement. Depending on your needs, an individually-designed SEP — instead of the model SEP — may be appropriate for you.

When you set up a SEP for yourself and your employees, you’ll make deductible contributions to each employee’s IRA, called a SEP-IRA, which must be IRS-approved. The maximum amount of deductible contributions that you can make to an employee’s SEP-IRA, and that he or she can exclude from income, is the lesser of: 25% of compensation and $66,000 for 2023. The deduction for your contributions to employees’ SEP-IRAs isn’t limited by the deduction ceiling applicable to an individual’s own contribution to a regular IRA. Your employees control their individual IRAs and IRA investments, the earnings on which are tax-free.

There are other requirements you’ll have to meet to be eligible to set up a SEP. Essentially, all regular employees must elect to participate in the program, and contributions can’t discriminate in favor of the highly compensated employees. But these requirements are minor compared to the bookkeeping and other administrative burdens connected with traditional qualified pension and profit-sharing plans.

The detailed records that traditional plans must maintain to comply with the complex nondiscrimination regulations aren’t required for SEPs. And employers aren’t required to file annual reports with IRS, which, for a pension plan, could require the services of an actuary. The required recordkeeping can be done by a trustee of the SEP-IRAs — usually a bank or mutual fund.

SIMPLE Plans

Another option for a business with 100 or fewer employees is a “savings incentive match plan for employees” (SIMPLE). Under these plans, a “SIMPLE IRA” is established for each eligible employee, with the employer making matching contributions based on contributions elected by participating employees under a qualified salary reduction arrangement. The SIMPLE plan is also subject to much less stringent requirements than traditional qualified retirement plans. Or, an employer can adopt a “simple” 401(k) plan, with similar features to a SIMPLE plan, and automatic passage of the otherwise complex nondiscrimination test for 401(k) plans.

For 2023, SIMPLE deferrals are up to $15,500 plus an additional $3,500 catch-up contributions for employees ages 50 and older.

Contact us for more information or to discuss any other aspect of your retirement planning.

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Summer is around the corner so you may be thinking about hiring young people at your small business. At the same time, you may have children looking to earn extra spending money. You can save family income and payroll taxes by putting your child on the payroll. It’s a win-win!

Here are four tax advantages.

1. Shifting Business Earnings

You can turn some of your high-taxed income into tax-free or low-taxed income by shifting some business earnings to a child as wages for services performed. In order for your business to deduct the wages as a business expense, the work done by the child must be legitimate and the child’s salary must be reasonable.

For example, suppose you’re a sole proprietor in the 37% tax bracket. You hire your 16-year-old son to help with office work full-time in the summer and part-time in the fall. He earns $10,000 during the year (and doesn’t have other earnings). You can save $3,700 (37% of $10,000) in income taxes at no tax cost to your son, who can use his $13,850 standard deduction for 2023 to shelter his earnings.

Family taxes are cut even if your son’s earnings exceed his standard deduction. That’s because the unsheltered earnings will be taxed to him beginning at a 10% rate, instead of being taxed at your higher rate.

2. Claiming Income Tax Withholding Exemption

Your business likely will have to withhold federal income taxes on your child’s wages. Usually, an employee can claim exempt status if he or she had no federal income tax liability for last year and expects to have none this year.

However, exemption from withholding can’t be claimed if: 1) the employee’s income exceeds $1,250 for 2023 (and includes more than $400 of unearned income), and 2) the employee can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return.

Keep in mind that your child probably will get a refund for part or all of the withheld tax when filing a return for the year.

3. Saving Social Security Tax

If your business isn’t incorporated, you can also save some Social Security tax by shifting some of your earnings to your child. That’s because services performed by a child under age 18 while employed by a parent aren’t considered employment for FICA tax purposes.

A similar but more liberal exemption applies for FUTA (unemployment) tax, which exempts earnings paid to a child under age 21 employed by a parent. The FICA and FUTA exemptions also apply if a child is employed by a partnership consisting only of his or her parents.

Note: There’s no FICA or FUTA exemption for employing a child if your business is incorporated or is a partnership that includes non-parent partners. However, there’s no extra cost to your business if you’re paying a child for work you’d pay someone else to do.

4. Saving for Retirement

Your business also may be able to provide your child with retirement savings, depending on your plan and how it defines qualifying employees. For example, if you have a SEP plan, a contribution can be made for the child up to 25% of his or her earnings (not to exceed $66,000 for 2023).

Contact us if you have any questions about these rules in your situation. Keep in mind that some of the rules about employing children may change from year to year and may require your income-shifting strategies to change too.

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It’s been years since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 was signed into law, but it’s still having an impact. Several provisions in the law have expired or will expire in the next few years. One provision that took effect last year was the end of current deductibility for research and experimental (R&E) expenses.

R&E Expenses

The TCJA has affected many businesses, including manufacturers, that have significant R&E costs. Starting in 2022, Internal Revenue Code Section 174 R&E expenditures must be capitalized and amortized over five years (15 years for research conducted outside the United States). Previously, businesses had the option of deducting these costs immediately as current expenses.

The TCJA also expanded the types of activities that are considered R&E for purposes of IRC Sec. 174. For example, software development costs are now considered R&E expenses subject to the amortization requirement.

Potential Strategies

Businesses should consider the following strategies for minimizing the impact of these changes:

Recent IRS Guidance

For 2022 tax returns, the IRS recently released guidance for taxpayers to change the treatment of R&E expenses (Revenue Procedure 2023-11). The guidance provides a way to obtain automatic consent under the tax code to change methods of accounting for specified research or experimental expenditures under Sec. 174, as amended by the TCJA. This is important because unless there’s an exception provided under tax law, a taxpayer must secure the consent of the IRS before changing a method of accounting for federal income tax purposes.

The recent revenue procedure also provides a transition rule for taxpayers who filed a tax return on or before January 17, 2023.

Planning Ahead

We can advise you how to proceed. There have also been proposals in Congress that would eliminate the amortization requirements. However, so far, they’ve been unsuccessful. We’re monitoring legislative developments and can help adjust your tax strategies if there’s a change in the law.

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Under tax law, businesses can generally deduct advertising and marketing expenses that help keep existing customers and bring in new ones. This valuable tax deduction can help businesses cut their taxes.

However, in order to be deductible, advertising and marketing expenses must be “ordinary and necessary.” As one taxpayer recently learned in U.S. Tax Court, not all expenses are eligible. An ordinary expense is one that’s common and accepted in the industry. And a necessary expense is one that’s helpful and appropriate for the business.

According to the IRS, here are some advertising expenses that are usually deductible:

Facts of the Recent Case

An attorney deducted his car-racing expenses and claimed they were advertising for his personal injury law practice. He contended that his racing expenses, totaling over $303,000 for six tax years, were deductible as advertising because the car he raced was sponsored by his law firm.

The IRS denied the deductions and argued that the attorney’s car racing wasn’t an ordinary and necessary expense paid or incurred while carrying on his business of practicing law. The Tax Court agreed with the IRS.

When making an ordinary and necessary determination for an expense, most courts look to the taxpayer’s primary motive for incurring the expense and whether there’s a “proximate” relationship between the expense and the taxpayer’s occupation. In this case, the taxpayer’s car-racing expenses were neither necessary nor common for a law practice, so there was no “proximate” relationship between the expense and the taxpayer’s occupation. And, while the taxpayer said his primary motive for incurring the expense was to advertise his law business, he never raced in the state where his primary law practice was located, and he never actually got any legal business from his car-racing activity.

The court noted that the car “sat in his garage” after he returned to the area where his law practice was located. The court added that even if the taxpayer raced in that area, “we would not find his expenses to be legitimate advertising expenses. His name and a decal for his law firm appeared in relatively small print” on his car.

This form of “signage,” the court stated, “is at the opposite end of the spectrum from (say) a billboard or a newspaper ad. Indeed, every driver’s name typically appeared on his or her racing car.” (TC Memo 2023-18)

Keep Meticulous Records

There are no deductions allowed for personal expenses or hobbies. But as explained above, you can deduct ordinary and necessary advertising and marketing expenses in a bona fide business. The key to protecting your deductions is to keep meticulous records to substantiate them. Contact us with questions about your situation.

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If you’re buying or replacing a vehicle that you’ll use in your business, be aware that a heavy SUV may provide a more generous tax break this year than you’d get from a smaller vehicle. The reason has to do with how smaller business cars are depreciated for tax purposes.

Depreciation Rules

Business cars are subject to more restrictive tax depreciation rules than those that apply to other depreciable assets. Under the so-called “luxury auto” rules, depreciation deductions are artificially “capped.” Those caps also extend to the alternative deduction that a taxpayer can claim if it elects to use Section 179 expensing for all or part of the cost of a business car. (It allows you to write-off an asset in the year it’s placed in service.)

These rules include smaller trucks or vans built on truck chassis that are treated as cars. For most cars that are subject to the caps and that are first placed in service in calendar year 2023, the maximum depreciation and/or expensing deductions are:

Generally, the effect is to extend the number of years it takes to fully depreciate the vehicle.

Because of the restrictions for cars, you may be better off from a tax timing perspective if you replace your business car with a heavy SUV instead of another car. That’s because the caps on annual depreciation and expensing deductions for passenger automobiles don’t apply to trucks or vans that are rated at more than 6,000 pounds gross (loaded) vehicle weight. This includes large SUVs, many of which are priced over $50,000.

The result is that in most cases, you’ll be able to write-off a majority of the cost of a new SUV used entirely for business purposes by utilizing bonus and regular depreciation in the year you place it into service. For 2023, bonus depreciation is available at 80%, but is being phased down to zero over the next few years.

If you consider electing Section 179 expensing for all or part of the cost of an SUV, you need to know that an inflation-adjusted limit, separate from the general caps described above, applies ($28,900 for an SUV placed in service in tax years beginning in 2023, up from $27,000 for an SUV placed in service in tax years beginning in 2022). There’s also an aggregate dollar limit for all assets elected to be expensed in the year that would apply. Following the expensing election, you would then depreciate the remainder of the cost under the usual rules without regard to general annual caps.

Please note that the tax benefits described above are all subject to adjustment for non-business use. Also, if business use of an SUV doesn’t exceed 50% of total use, the SUV won’t be eligible for the expensing election, and would have to be depreciated on a straight-line method over a six-tax-year period.

Contact us for more details about this opportunity to get hefty tax write-offs if you buy a heavy SUV for business.

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Many people began working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic — and many still work from their home offices either all the time or on a hybrid basis. If you’re self-employed and run your business from home or perform certain functions there, you might be able to claim deductions for home office expenses against your business income. There are two methods for claiming this tax break: the actual expense method and the simplified method.

How to Qualify

In general, you qualify for home office deductions if part of your home is used “regularly and exclusively” as your principal place of business.

If your home isn’t your principal place of business, you may still be able to deduct home office expenses if:

Expenses You Can Deduct

Many eligible taxpayers deduct actual expenses when they claim home office deductions. Deductible home office expenses may include:

But keeping track of actual expenses can take time and it requires organized recordkeeping.

The Simpler Method

Fortunately, there’s a simplified method: You can deduct $5 for each square foot of home office space, up to a maximum of $1,500.

The cap can make the simplified method less valuable for larger home office spaces. Even for small spaces, taxpayers may qualify for bigger deductions using the actual expense method. So, tracking your actual expenses can be worth it.

Changing Methods 

When claiming home office deductions, you’re not stuck with a particular method. For instance, you might choose the actual expense method on your 2022 return, use the simplified method when you file your 2023 return next year and then switch back to the actual expense method for 2024. The choice is yours.

What if I Sell the Home?

If you sell — at a profit — a home on which you claimed home office deductions, there may be tax implications. We can explain them to you.

Also be aware that the amount of your home office deductions is subject to limitations based on the income attributable to your use of the office. Other rules and limitations may apply. But any home office expenses that can’t be deducted because of these limitations can be carried over and deducted in later years.

Different Rules for Employees

Unfortunately, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspended the business use of home office deductions from 2018 through 2025 for employees. Those who receive paychecks or Form W-2s aren’t eligible for deductions, even if they’re currently working from home because their employers closed their offices due to COVID-19.

We can help you determine if you’re eligible for home office deductions and how to proceed in your situation.

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The IRS has released the updated tax brackets, deductions, and credits for the 2023 tax year. While tax filing for this year won’t happen until early 2024, it’s important to pay attention to your tax rate. Strategizing now can help minimize your tax liability and maximize your income potential. Here are the updated numbers for 2023.

2023 Tax Brackets

The tax brackets for the 2023 tax year (filing in the spring of 2024) are as follows:

Tax Rate Single Filers, Married Filing Separately* Heads of Household Married Filing Jointly
10% < $11,000 <$15,700 < $22,000
12% $11,000 $15,700 $22,000
22% $44,725 $59,850 $89,450
24% $95,375 $95,350 $190,750
32% $182,100 $182,100 $364,200
35% $231,250 $231,250 $462,500
37% $578,125/$346,875* $578,100 $693,750

 

In addition to the tax brackets for 2023, taxpayers should be aware of these credits, deductions, and phase-outs.

To discuss how these updates may affect your unique tax situation or to create a tax plan for the year, please reach out to one of our knowledgeable professionals today!

Many businesses in certain industries employ individuals who receive tips as part of their compensation. These businesses include restaurants, hotels, and salons.

Tip Definition

Tips are optional payments that customers make to employees who perform services. They can be cash or noncash. Cash tips include those received directly from customers, electronically paid tips distributed to employees by employers, and tips received from other employees under tip-sharing arrangements. Generally, workers must report cash tips to their employers. Noncash tips are items of value other than cash. They may include tickets, passes, or other items that customers give employees. Workers don’t have to report noncash tips to employers.

For tax purposes, four factors determine whether a payment qualifies as a tip:

Tips can also be direct or indirect. A direct tip occurs when an employee receives it directly from a customer, even as part of a tip pool. Directly tipped employees include wait staff, bartenders and hairstylists. An indirect tip occurs when an employee who normally doesn’t receive tips receives one. Indirectly tipped employees include bussers, service bartenders, cooks and salon shampooers.

Daily Tip Records

Tipped workers must keep daily records of the cash tips they receive. To keep track of them, they can use Form 4070A, Employee’s Daily Record of Tips. It is found in IRS Publication 1244.

Workers should also keep records of the dates and value of noncash tips. Although the IRS doesn’t require workers to report noncash tips to employers, they must report them on their tax returns.

Reporting to Employers

Employees must report tips to employers by the 10th of the month following the month they were received. The IRS doesn’t require workers to use a particular form to report tips. However, a worker’s tip report generally should include:

Note: Employees whose monthly tips are less than $20 don’t need to report them to their employers but must include them as income on their tax returns.

Employer Requirements

Employers should send each employee a Form W-2 that includes reported tips. Employers also must:

In addition, “large” food or beverage establishments must file an annual report disclosing receipts and tips on Form 8027, Employer’s Annual Information Return of Tip Income and Allocated Tips.

Tip Tax Credit

If you’re an employer with tipped workers providing food and beverages, you may qualify for a federal tax credit involving the Social Security and Medicare taxes that you pay on employees’ tip income. The tip tax credit may be valuable to you. If you have any questions about the tax implications of tips, don’t hesitate to contact us.

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An array of tax-related limits that affect businesses are indexed annually, and due to high inflation, many have increased more than usual for 2023. Here are some that may be important to you and your business.

Social Security Tax

The amount of employees’ earnings that are subject to Social Security tax is capped for 2023 at $160,200 (up from $147,000 for 2022).

Deductions 

Retirement Plans 

Other Employee Benefits

These are only some of the tax limits and deductions that may affect your business and additional rules may apply. Contact us if you have questions.

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With the 2023 filing season deadline drawing near, be aware that the deadline for businesses to file information returns for hired workers is even closer. By January 31, 2023, employers must file these forms:

Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement. W-2 forms show the wages paid and taxes withheld for the year for each employee. They must be provided to employees and filed with the Social Security Administration (SSA). The IRS notes that “because employees’ Social Security and Medicare benefits are computed based on information on Form W-2, it’s very important to prepare Form W-2 correctly and timely.”

Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements. Anyone required to file Form W-2 must also file Form W-3 to transmit Copy A of Form W-2 to the SSA. The totals for amounts reported on related employment tax forms (Form 941, Form 943, Form 944 or Schedule H for the year) should agree with the amounts reported on Form W-3.

Failing to timely file or include the correct information on either the information return or statement may result in penalties.

Independent Contractors

The January 31 deadline also applies to Form 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation. These forms are provided to recipients and filed with the IRS to report non-employee compensation to independent contractors.

Payers must complete Form 1099-NEC to report any payment of $600 or more to a recipient.

If the following four conditions are met, you must generally report payments as nonemployee compensation:

Your business may also have to file a Form 1099-MISC for each person to whom you made certain payments for rent, medical expenses, prizes and awards, attorney’s services and more.

We Can Help 

If you have questions about filing Form W-2, Form 1099-NEC or any tax forms, contact us. We can assist you in staying in compliance with all rules.

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If your small business has a retirement plan, and even if it doesn’t, you may see changes and benefits from a new law. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement 2.0 Act (SECURE 2.0) was recently signed into law. Provisions in the law will kick in over several years.

SECURE 2.0 is meant to build on the original SECURE Act, which was signed into law in 2019. Here are some provisions that may affect your business.

Retirement plan automatic enrollment. Under the new law, 401(k) plans will be required to automatically enroll employees when they become eligible, beginning with plan years after December 31, 2024. Employees will be permitted to opt out. The initial automatic enrollment amount would be at least 3% but not more than 10%. Then, the amount would be increased by 1% each year thereafter until it reaches at least 10%, but not more than 15%. All current 401(k) plans are grandfathered. Certain small businesses would be exempt.

Part-time worker coverage. The first SECURE Act requires employers to allow long-term, part-time workers to participate in their 401(k) plans with a dual eligibility requirement (one year of service and at least 1,000 hours worked or three consecutive years of service with at least 500 hours worked). The new law will reduce the three-year rule to two years, beginning after December 31, 2024. This provision would also extend the long-term part-time coverage rules to 403(b) plans that are subject to ERISA.

Employees with student loan debt. The new law will allow an employer to make matching contributions to 401(k) and certain other retirement plans with respect to “qualified student loan payments.” This means that employees who can’t afford to save money for retirement because they’re repaying student loan debt can still receive matching contributions from their employers into retirement plans. This will take effect beginning after December 31, 2023.

“Starter” 401(k) plans. The new law will allow an employer that doesn’t sponsor a retirement plan to offer a starter 401(k) plan (or safe harbor 403(b) plan) that would require all employees to be default enrolled in the plan at a 3% to 15% of compensation deferral rate. The limit on annual deferrals would be the same as the IRA contribution limit with an additional $1,000 in catch-up contributions beginning at age 50. This provision takes effect beginning after December 31, 2023.

Tax credit for small employer pension plan start-up costs. The new law increases and makes several changes to the small employer pension plan start-up cost credit to incentivize businesses to establish retirement plans. This took effect for plan years after December 31, 2022.

Higher catch-up contributions for some participants. Currently, participants in certain retirement plans can make additional catch-up contributions if they’re age 50 or older. The catch-up contribution limit for 401(k) plans is $7,500 for 2023. SECURE 2.0 will increase the 401(k) catch-up contribution limit to the greater of $10,000 or 150% of the regular catch-up amount for individuals ages 60 through 63. The increased amounts will be indexed for inflation after December 31, 2025. This provision will take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024. (There will also be increased catch-up amounts for SIMPLE plans.)

Retirement savings for military spouses. SECURE 2.0 creates a new tax credit for eligible small employers for each military spouse that begins participating in their eligible defined contribution plan. This became effective in 2023.

These are only some of the provisions in SECURE 2.0. Contact us if you have any questions about your situation.

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The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) was a valuable tax credit that helped employers that kept workers on staff during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the credit is no longer available, eligible employers that haven’t yet claimed it might still be able to do so by filing amended payroll returns for tax years 2020 and 2021.

However, the IRS is warning employers to beware of third parties that may be advising them to claim the ERC when they don’t qualify. Some third-party “ERC mills” are promising that they can get businesses a refund without knowing anything about the employers’ situations. They’re sending emails, letters and voice mails as well as advertising on television. When businesses respond, these ERC mills are claiming many improper write-offs related to taxpayer eligibility for — and computation of — the credit.

These third parties often charge large upfront fees or a fee that’s contingent on the amount of the refund. They may not inform taxpayers that wage deductions claimed on the companies’ federal income tax returns must be reduced by the amount of the credit.

According to the IRS, if a business filed an income tax return deducting qualified wages before it filed an employment tax return claiming the credit, the business should file an amended income tax return to correct any overstated wage deduction. Your tax advisor can assist with this.

Businesses are encouraged to be cautious of advertised schemes and direct solicitations promising tax savings that are too good to be true. Taxpayers are always responsible for the information reported on their tax returns. Improperly claiming the ERC could result in taxpayers being required to repay the credit along with penalties and interest.

ERC Basics

The ERC is a refundable tax credit designed for businesses that:

Eligible taxpayers could have claimed the ERC on an original employment tax return or they can claim it on an amended return.

To be eligible for the ERC, employers must have:

As a reminder, only recovery startup businesses are eligible for the ERC in the fourth quarter of 2021. Additionally, for any quarter, eligible employers cannot claim the ERC on wages that were reported as payroll costs in obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness or that were used to claim certain other tax credits.

How to Proceed

If you didn’t claim the ERC, and believe you’re eligible, contact us. We can advise you on how to proceed.

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