Year-End Tax Planning Strategies for Businesses

Year-End Tax Planning Strategies for Businesses A number of end-of-year tax planning strategies are available to business owners that can be used to reduce their tax liability. Here are a few of them: Deferring Income Businesses using the cash method of accounting can defer income into 2020 by delaying end-of-year invoices, so payment is not…

Seasonal Workers and the Healthcare Law

Seasonal Workers and the Healthcare Law Businesses often need to hire workers on a seasonal or part-time basis. For example, some businesses may need seasonal help for holidays, harvest seasons, commercial fishing, or sporting events. Whether you are getting paid or paying someone else, questions often arise over whether these seasonal workers affect employers with…

Tax Treatment of Virtual Currency Transactions

Tax Treatment of Virtual Currency Transactions If you’ve invested in Bitcoin and decide to sell you need to consider the impact of virtual currency transactions on your taxes. Here’s what you should know: Background Prior to 2014, there was no IRS guidance and many people did not understand that selling virtual currency was a reportable…

Tax Preparation vs. Tax Planning

Tax Preparation vs. Tax Planning Many people assume tax planning is the same as tax preparation but the two are actually quite different. Let’s take a closer look: What is Tax Preparation? Tax preparation is the process of preparing and filing a tax return. Generally, it is a one-time event that culminates in signing your…

New Tax Rules for Divorce and Alimony Payments

New Tax Rules for Divorce and Alimony Payments Divorce is a painful reality for many people both emotionally and financially, and quite often, the last thing on anyone’s mind is the effect a divorce or separation will have on their tax situation. To make matters worse, most court decisions do not take into account the…

Tax Advantages of S-Corporations

Tax Advantages of S-Corporations As a small business owner, figuring out which form of business structure to use when you started was one of the most important decisions you had to make; however, it’s always a good idea to periodically revisit that decision as your business grows. For example, as a sole proprietor, you must…

October 1 Deadline to Set up SIMPLE IRA Plans

October 1 Deadline to Set up SIMPLE IRA Plans 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…

Homeowner Records: What to Keep and How Long

Homeowner Records: What to Keep and How Long Keeping full and accurate homeowner records is not only vital for claiming deductions on your tax return, but also for determining the basis or adjusted basis of your home. These records include your purchase contract and settlement papers if you bought the property, or other objective evidence…