Tax breaks for charitable giving aren’t limited to individuals, your small business can benefit as well. If you own a small to medium size business and are committed to giving back to the community through charitable giving, here’s what you should know. 1. Verify that the Organization is a Qualified Charity. Once you’ve identified a…
Background: What is Equifax? Equifax is one of three major U.S. credit reporting bureaus. The other two are TransUnion and Experian. There is also a smaller, less well-known credit-reporting agency called Innovis (aka CBCInnovis) that operates slightly different in that its main purpose is to provide mortgage credit reporting services to the financial services industry.…
If you’re looking to save money on your taxes this year, consider using one or more of these tax-saving strategies to reduce your income, lower your tax bracket, and minimize your tax bill. Max Out Your 401(k) or Contribute to an IRA You’ve heard it before, but it’s worth repeating because it’s one of the…
What is Tax Planning? Tax planning is the process of looking at various tax options to determine when, whether, and how to conduct business transactions to reduce or eliminate tax liability. Many small business owners ignore tax planning. They don’t even think about their taxes until it’s time to meet with their CPAs, EAs, or…
With less than three months remaining in the calendar year, now is a good time to double check your federal withholding to make sure enough taxes are being taken out of your pay. Most people have taxes withheld from each paycheck or pay taxes on a quarterly basis through estimated tax payments. But each year…
Uber, Lyft, Airbnb, Etsy, Rover, TaskRabbit. If you’ve used any of these services–or provided services for them to others–you’re a member of the sharing economy. If you’ve only used these services (and not provided them), then there’s no need to worry about the tax implications but if you’ve rented out a spare room in your…
While The IRS, state tax agencies and numerous people in the tax and accounting industry are working together to warn tax professionals and their clients about phishing scams, they are still all too common. Here’s what you need to know about the two most recent scams: fake charities that take advantage of people’s generosity during…
Of all the retirement plans available to small business owners, the SIMPLE IRA plan (Savings Incentive Match PLan for Employees) is the easiest to set up and the least expensive to manage. The catch is that you’ll need to set it up by October 1st. Here’s what you need to know. What is a SIMPLE…
From declining sales at local retail establishments to brick and mortar store closings, almost everyone would agree that the rise of Internet sales has transformed the retail landscape. One consequence of this uptick in online sales is lost revenues in states that collect sales (or use) tax. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures,…
Two types of IRAs are available to fund your retirement: Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. While both are subject to many of the same rules there are several important differences. It’s important to understand these differences because the type of individual retirement account (IRA) you choose can significantly impact your financial future and that of…