EIC: New Law Makes Major Changes
The earned income credit (EIC) has been around for years. But it’s never been worth as much as it will be for 2021 under the new American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Some favorable changes are only for the 2021 tax year, while others are permanent.
No Tax Deductions Before Business Commences
Starting a new business and wondering how and when tax deductions will occur? Most important to know is that most expenses incurred before a business begins cannot be deducted or amortized until the year the business becomes active.
Six Key Tax Breaks for Homeowners
The days of classic “tax shelters”— such as cattle breeding or oil drilling deals — are long gone. But at least one major tax shelter is still standing: Your home. If you own your principal residence, you can cash in on a bevy of tax breaks, saving thousands of tax dollars or even more. Here are six ways your home can provide tax shelter.
Turning next year’s tax refund into cash in your pocket now
Each year, millions of taxpayers claim an income tax refund. To be sure, receiving a payment from the IRS for a few thousand dollars can be a pleasant influx of cash. But it means you were essentially giving the government an interest-free loan for close to a year, which isn’t the best use of your money.
3 ways to get started on next year’s budget
As the year winds down, business owners have a lot to think about. One item that you should keep top of mind is next year’s budget. A well-conceived budget can go a long way toward keeping expenses in line and cash flow strong.
Is your executive compensation reasonable?
Corporations can’t deduct dividend payments, but they can deduct executive compensation. To prevent abuse of this rule, the IRS requires exec comp to be “reasonable” – something even tax authorities have trouble defining.
Will your business have a net operating loss? Make the most of it
When the deductible expenses of a business exceed its income, a net operating loss (NOL) generally occurs. If you’re planning ahead or filing your income tax return after an extension request and you find that your business has a qualifying NOL, there’s some good news: The loss may generate some tax benefits.
Can you claim a home office deduction for business use?
You might be able to claim a deduction for the business use of a home office. If you qualify, you can deduct a portion of expenses, including rent or mortgage interest, depreciation, utilities, insurance, and repairs. The exact amount that can be deducted depends on how much of your home is used for business.
Finding the right tax-advantaged account to fund your health care expenses
Finding the right tax-advantaged account to fund your health care expenses Return to Blog With health care costs continuing to climb, tax-friendly ways to pay for these expenses are more attractive than ever. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs) all provide opportunities for tax-advantaged funding of health […]
Properly fund your living trust to shield assets from probate
Many people set up a revocable, or “living,” trust to shield assets from probate and take advantage of other benefits. For the trust to work, you must transfer assets to it that would otherwise go through probate — a process known as “funding” the trust. Most people fund their trusts around the time they sign the trust documents.