What’s New for the 2020 Tax Filing Season While the 2020 tax filing season promises to be less confusing than 2019, there are still a number of changes that taxpayers should be aware of. New, Revised or Updated Tax Forms Form 1040: Revised and Redesigned The IRS released a draft Form 1040 for 2019 tax…
Tax Breaks for Taxpayers Who Itemize Many taxpayers opt for the standard deduction because it is easier, but sometimes itemizing your deductions is the better choice – often resulting in a lower tax bill. Whether you bought a house, refinanced your current home, or had extensive gambling losses, you may be able to take advantage…
Tax Planning Includes Keeping Good Records It’s January and tax season is right around the corner. For many people that means scrambling to collect receipts, mileage logs, and other tax-related documents needed to prepare their tax returns. If this describes you, chances are, you’re wishing you’d kept on top of it during the year so…
Individual Taxpayers: Recap for 2019 As we close out the year and get ready for tax season, here’s what individuals and families need to know about tax provisions for 2019. Personal Exemptions Personal exemptions are eliminated for tax years 2018 through 2025. Standard Deductions The standard deduction for married couples filing a joint return in…
Business Tax Provisions: The Year in Review Here’s what business owners need to know about tax changes for 2019. Standard Mileage Rates The standard mileage rate in 2019 is 58 cents per business mile driven. Health Care Tax Credit for Small Businesses Small business employers who pay at least half the premiums for single health…
Tax Breaks for Business: Charitable Giving 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…
Updated Rules: Deductible Business & Other Expenses Taxpayers using optional standard mileage rates in computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving expense purposes should be aware of an updated set of rules. The updated rules reflect changes to certain deductible expenses resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs…
Year-End Tax Planning for Individuals With the end of the year fast approaching, now is the time to take a closer look at tax planning strategies you can use to minimize your tax burden for 2019. General Tax planning Strategies General tax planning strategies for individuals include postponing income and accelerating deductions, and careful consideration…
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 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…