Could your business benefit from the tax credit for family and medical leave? The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act created a new federal tax credit for employers that provide qualified paid family and medical leave to their employees. It’s subject to numerous rules and restrictions and...
There’s still time for small business owners to set up a SEP retirement plan for last year If you own a business and don’t have a tax-advantaged retirement plan, it’s not too late to establish one and reduce your 2018 tax bill. A Simplified Employee Pension...
Will leasing equipment or buying it be more tax efficient for your business? Recent changes to federal tax law and accounting rules could affect whether you decide to lease or buy equipment or other fixed assets. Although there’s no universal “right” choice, many businesses that formerly...
Beware the Ides of March — if you own a pass-through entity Shakespeare’s words don’t apply just to Julius Caesar; they also apply to calendar-year partnerships, S corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) treated as partnerships or S corporations for tax purposes. Why? The Ides of...
The home office deduction: Actual expenses vs. the simplified method If you run your business from your home or perform certain functions at home that are related to your business, you might be able to claim a home office deduction against your business income on your...
When are LLC members subject to self-employment tax? Limited liability company (LLC) members commonly claim that their distributive shares of LLC income — after deducting compensation for services in the form of guaranteed payments — aren’t subject to self-employment (SE) tax. But the IRS has been...
Depreciation-related breaks on business real estate: What you need to know when you file your 2018 return Commercial buildings and improvements generally are depreciated over 39 years, which essentially means you can deduct a portion of the cost every year over the depreciation period. (Land isn’t depreciable.)...
This morning, at about 10 a.m., I received the first call in about a month from the IRS. The IRS appeals office, Revenue Officers (collection agents) and Revenue Agents (auditors) are back at work. They will be busy: chasing taxpayers for money auditing businesses demanding...
Higher mileage rate may mean larger tax deductions for business miles in 2019 This year, the optional standard mileage rate used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business increased by 3.5 cents, to the highest level since 2008. As a result, you...