Taking Early Withdrawals From Retirement Accounts While taking money out of a retirement fund before age 59 1/2 is usually not recommended, in certain cases, it may be unavoidable, especially during times of economic crisis. If you need cash and have a retirement fund you can tap, here’s what you need to know. Background When…
Tax Treatment of Virtual Currency Transactions Whether you’ve invested in Bitcoin and sold it at a profit or loss or received it for services performed, you’ll need to report it on your tax return. Here’s what you should know: Background Prior to 2014, there was no IRS guidance and many people did not understand that…
Wessel & Company CPAs and Advisors, headquartered in Johnstown, PA, has been recognized as one of the Top 400 CPA firms in the nation. The list is compiled by Inside Public Accounting (IPA) and published on a yearly basis. “Our team is excited to be recognized among the top firms in the country” said Joel…
Preparing for a Successful Retirement As you approach retirement, it’s vital that you pay attention to several important financial matters to ensure a smooth transition. Here are five of them: 1. Health Insurance Are you among the lucky few who will continue to be covered after retirement? If not, then you’ll need to replace your…
The Home Office Deduction With more people working from home than ever before, taxpayers may be wondering if they can claim a home office deduction when they file their 2020 tax return next year. The short answer is that self-employed taxpayers who use their home for business may be able to deduct expenses for the…
Tax Considerations When Hiring Household Help If you employ someone to work for you around your house, it is important to consider the tax implications of this type of arrangement. While many people disregard the need to pay taxes on household employees, they do so at the risk of paying stiff tax penalties down the…
It’s Never Too Early to Check Tax Withholding While it probably seem like tax season just ended, it is never too early to do a “Paycheck Checkup” to make sure the right amount of tax is withheld from earnings – and avoid a tax surprise next year when filing your 2020 tax return. As a…
Employee Payroll Tax Deferral Guidance On August 8, 2020, President Trump signed an executive order allowing employers to defer the withholding and payment of the employee share of Social Security taxes from September 1 through December 31, 2020. As the executive order left many unanswered questions, the IRS later released a notice on August 28, 2020 to…
Natural disasters such as hurricanes are more common in summer, but tornadoes, floods, and fires can strike at any time. As such, it’s always a good idea to plan for what to do in case of a disaster. Here are some simple steps you can take right now to prepare: 1. Backup Records Electronically. Many people…
While many schools are switching to hybrid or remote learning models, teachers and other educators should remember that they can still deduct certain unreimbursed expenses such as classroom supplies, training, and travel. Deducting these expenses helps reduce the amount of tax owed when filing a tax return. To qualify for the deduction, the taxpayer must…