Cutting costs in a business might seem easy at first—simply eliminate low-hanging fruit like free coffee, consulting services, or temporary employees. However, these quick fixes often lead to unsustainable savings and can hurt employee morale. To implement cost reductions that last, consider a different approach focused on adding value to your business processes.
In the early years of operation or during challenging economic times, many business ventures generate tax losses. Understanding when and how much of these losses can be deducted is crucial for maximizing your tax benefits. Here’s an overview of the current limitations on deducting losses from pass-through business entities, including sole proprietorships, LLCs, partnerships, and S corporations.
For many businesses, combining real estate assets with other company assets in a single entity can pose significant risks. Whether you’re concerned about liability from property-related injuries or the impact of legal issues on property ownership, there are also important tax considerations to keep in mind. Here’s why holding real estate separately might be beneficial.
Navigating the complexities of tax deductions can be a daunting task for any business owner, particularly when it comes to the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction. Introduced as a key component of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2018, the QBI deduction offers substantial tax savings for eligible businesses through 2025. However, understanding the nuances, especially for those classified under Specified Service Trades or Businesses (SSTBs), requires careful consideration and expert guidance. In this article, we aim to demystify the QBI deduction, providing clear insights into its benefits, limitations, and the critical factors business owners need to consider.
In today’s high-tech world of e-commerce, check fraud remains a significant threat, costing individuals, businesses, and financial institutions billions annually. Despite advancements in digital payments, many companies still accept checks, leaving them vulnerable to fraud.
A Valuation Metric Just for Small Businesses: Valuing a small business, like a mom-and-pop restaurant, requires a different approach than what you’d use for a large corporation. Traditional valuation methods, such as discounted cash flow analysis or price-to-earnings multiples from publicly traded companies, are often too complex and irrelevant for small businesses. Instead, valuation advisors turn to a more suitable metric: Seller’s Discretionary Cash Flow (SDCF).
At Patten and Company LLC, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities businesses face to secure funding. If you’re building a small business and haven’t yet needed to borrow funds to expand or smooth out cash flow irregularities, you’re doing something right. And if you have borrowed and everything went smoothly, kudos again. For those who foresee the need for credit in the future, anticipating this need well in advance can significantly enhance your ability to secure a loan with competitive terms.
In the latest installment of the “Dirty Dozen” tax scams for 2024, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is sounding the alarm on fake charities posing as legitimate organizations to deceive well-meaning taxpayers. Especially during times of natural disasters or tragic events, individuals are inclined to offer financial support to those affected. However, scammers exploit this goodwill by creating fake charities to solicit donations and collect sensitive personal and financial information for fraudulent purposes.
Are you planning a business trip this summer to a destination known for its cultural or recreational attractions? Combining business with pleasure can still yield plenty of tax benefits if you follow a strict tax itinerary. Whether you’re traveling domestically or internationally, understanding the tax rules is crucial.
C corporation owners often need to withdraw cash from the business, whether to cover personal expenses or protect excess cash from creditors. While paying dividends is one way to take money out, it has some significant downsides. Fortunately, there are other tax-efficient methods available. Here’s what you need to know:
The IRS has recently unveiled a new initiative focusing on auditing aircraft usage by corporations, large partnerships, and high-net-worth individuals as part of their heightened enforcement efforts. This initiative scrutinizes allocations between business and personal use, potentially impacting deductions, depreciation, and taxation regulations. This guide is designed to equip business owners with the knowledge and preparation needed to effectively navigate the complexities of the IRS’s aircraft usage audit initiative.
Tax credits are far more valuable than tax deductions. Unlike a deduction, which reduces a business’s taxable income, a credit reduces the business’s tax liability dollar for dollar. Tax credits aren’t unlimited, however. For businesses, the aggregate value of tax credits may be limited by the general business credit (GBC), found in Internal Revenue Code Section 38. Taxpayers should familiarize themselves with the GBC so they can understand the value of their business credits and identify tax-saving opportunities.
If your business is expanding its geographical footprint beyond state or U.S. borders, it’s important to understand the transfer pricing rules. In a nutshell, transfer pricing refers to cross-border pricing arrangements for transactions between related companies (including parent and subsidiary or brother-sister companies with a common parent) in different jurisdictions.
Typically, these transactions involve charges for goods, services or intellectual property (such as licensing arrangements) transferred from one company to its affiliate. Because these arrangements can be highly susceptible to manipulation to minimize a business’s tax liability, taxation authorities around the world are becoming stricter in regulating them.
Employees, self-employed individuals and employers all pay the Social Security tax, and the bite the Social Security tax takes gets bigger every year. Here’s what you should know — and why you should be concerned.
The earned income credit (EIC) has The SECURE 2.0 Act, enacted late in 2022, creates new tax-saving opportunities for retirement savers — in some cases, with assistance from employers. Several provisions already kicked in during 2023, while others have made their debut in 2024 or will become effective in the future. Here’s an overview of the key changes taking effect this year.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
On March 25th, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the “For the 99.5% Act,” a proposal that could significantly reduce currently available gift and estate tax exemptions. If passed, the act could impact families not previously subject to gift and estate taxes.
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.
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.
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.
The President signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), also known as the COVID-19 Stimulus Package, into law on Thursday, March 11th. The new law will provide roughly $1.9 trillion in much-needed financial relief to individuals, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and state and local governments during the pandemic.
If you’re nearing retirement, you’ve likely paid into the Social Security system for the duration of your career. It’s only fitting that you cash in on the benefits you’ve long been contributing to, but when should you start receiving benefits — at the first available date, at the latest date, or somewhere in between?
Dallas, TX – We are proud to announce Mandy Thiebaud as the firm’s newest shareholder and the change of the firm name to Patten Thiebaud LLC.
Tax planning is a juggling act for business owners. You have to keep your eye on your company’s income and expenses and applicable tax breaks (especially if you own a pass-through entity). But you also must look out for your own financial future.
Prepaying property taxes related to the current year but due the following year has long been one of the most popular and effective year-end tax-planning strategies. But does it still make sense in 2018?
The dawning of 2019 means the 2018 income tax filing season will soon be upon us. After year end, it’s generally too late to take
Tax planning is a year-round activity, but there are still some year-end strategies you can use to lower your 2018 tax bill. Here are six last-minute tax moves business owners should consider:
Income and losses from investment real estate or rental property are passive by definition — unless you’re a real estate professional. Why does this matter? Passive income may be subject to the 3.8% net investment income tax (NIIT), and passive losses generally are deductible only against passive income, with the excess being carried forward.
If your estate plan includes one or more trusts, review them in light of income taxes. For trusts, the income threshold is very low for triggering the: Top income tax rate of 39.6%,
Top long-term capital gains rate of 20%, and Net investment income tax (NIIT) of 3.8%.
Mark Patten, CPA and Mandy Thiebaud, CPA of McKinnon Patten & Associates discuss with Old Capital Podcast how earned income and passive income are treated by the IRS, capitalizing versus expensing replacements & repairs, and why owning real estate is more than just a return on your investment.
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.
Because of a weekend and a Washington, D.C., holiday, the 2016 tax return filing deadline for individual taxpayers is Tuesday, April 18. The IRS considers a paper return that’s due April 18 to be timely filed if it’s postmarked by midnight. But dropping your return in a mailbox on the 18th may not be sufficient.
In addition to income tax, you must pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on earned income, such as salary and self-employment income. The 12.4% Social Security tax applies only up to the Social Security wage base of $118,500 for 2016. All earned income is subject to the 2.9% Medicare tax.
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.
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.
Now that Donald Trump has been elected President of the United States and Republicans have retained control of both chambers of Congress, an overhaul of the U.S. tax code next year is likely. President-elect Trump’s tax reform plan, released earlier this year, includes the following changes that would affect individuals.
If you run your business as an S corporation, you’re probably both a shareholder and an employee. As such, the corporation pays you a salary that reflects the work you do for the business — and you (and your company) must remit payroll tax on some or all of your wages.
This year, the optional standard mileage rate used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business went down. The reason? Compared with last year, the cost of driving is less because gas prices are lower.
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.
If you answer “yes” to the questions below, it’s likely you’re eligible to claim a federal income tax deduction.
Irrevocable trusts can provide a variety of benefits, including gift and estate tax savings, creditor protection, and the ability to control how assets are distributed. To preserve these benefits, however, it’s critical to respect all trust formalities.
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.
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
It seems like a simple question: How many full-time workers does your business employ? But, when it comes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the answer can be complicated.
The 26th wave of the Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS), the longest-running survey of its kind in the nation, finds that American workers’ confidence in their ability to afford a comfortable retirement has maintained its increase after the record lows experienced between 2009 and 2013.
A net operating loss (NOL) occurs when a business’s operating expenses and other deductions for the year exceed its revenues. On the bright side, you can claim an NOL deduction if your business’s expenses exceed its income (though certain modifications apply).
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.
There are several estate planning tools designed to assist in the transfer of assets to a trust for beneficiaries while also retaining the grantor’s right to income or use of the asset.
Let’s say you discover a deduction that was overlooked on a federal tax return that has already been filed. Or you realize that you didn’t report some income. Perhaps you heard about a recently passed tax law that includes retroactive tax breaks you can benefit from.
According to Forbes.com, 80-90% of all firms across the globe and the top 500 largest family-owned firms generate a combined annual revenue of $6.5 trillion which totals an economy only smaller than the U.S. and China.
Traditional media outlets such as newspapers, radio and television have long served the purpose of delivering one-way messages, like your company’s advertising. Social media, by contrast, uses Web-based platforms to not only deliver your message, but to allow the recipient to participate.
Business owners often use C corporations as a means of limiting personal liability. Typically, the owners attempt to shield their personal assets from business related liabilities.
In general, a tax assessment by the IRS is presumed to be correct. A taxpayer can overcome the presumption with proof. That situation is reversed when the IRS asserts fraud. In those instances, the IRS must prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that fraud exists.
Since the Great Recession of 2008, the nation’s rental market has been an economic bright spot for investors. The median rent for a new apartment climbed to $1,372 last year, a 26% increase from 2012.
It can be difficult in the current job market for young people and recent college graduates to find full time and summer jobs. Business owners with children in this situation may be able to provide them with valuable experience and income while generating tax and financial savings for themselves.
A federal district court recently sided with an employer in a dispute regarding whether employees had to be compensated for on-call time, activities before and
Let’s say you sold investment real estate in a seller-financed installment sale transaction. Later, you’re forced to repossess the property because the buyer fails to meet his payment obligations. What are the federal income tax consequences of the repossession? This article will provide the answer.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) urges taxpayers to be on “high alert” about IRS employee impersonators. According to TIGTA, since October 2013, thieves have stolen millions of dollars from taxpayers believing the fraudulent calls saying that they owed the government money and cash needed to be sent immediately.
How would you value a business? The three approaches appraisers use to value a business are essentially a matter of common sense. You start with
Intergenerational squabbles don’t just make for tense holidays. Failures of trust and communication can put family wealth into jeopardy.
As the town of Springfield’s resident oligarch, C. Montgomery Burns earned the ire of the townspeople through any number of misdeeds, including blocking out the sun, having the Rolling Stones killed, and stealing Christmas from 1981 through 1985.
As 2015 winds down, it’s a good idea to budget for your 2015 personal income tax bill, in the event that you’ll owe the IRS money. Taxpayers who review their situations before year end have many more tax-reduction strategies at their disposal than those who wait until after the start of the tax filing season.
CFO Survey: Weak Business Spending Forecast; Employment Growth Continues – Duke’s Fuqua School of Business
Today, the individual income tax is the single most important source of federal revenue, but it wasn’t always that way.
Family limited partnerships (“FLPs”) give senior family members a tax efficient way to shift wealth to future
generations while still exercising control over their assets. As an added benefit, by forming a FLP, senior family members remove assets out of their estate—generally at a reduced transfer tax value.
House values continue to rise in the low interest rate, post-recession economy. Homeowners are experiencing this increase not only in East and West coast cities like New York, Los Angeles, Boston, and San Diego, but here in Dallas-Fort Worth as well.
