6 Last-Minute Tax Moves for Your Business
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:
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Real estate investor vs. professional: Why it matters
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.
Are income taxes taking a bite out of your trusts?
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%.
Real Estate Investing Podcast with Mark Patten and Mandy Thiebaud
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.
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.
A timely postmark on your tax return may not be enough to avoid late-filing penalties
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.
What the self-employed need to know about employment taxes
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.
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.
A brief overview of the President-elect’s tax plan for individuals
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.
The IRS can reclassify S corporation distributions as wages
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.
Lower gas costs = lower business driving tax deductions
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.
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.
Do you qualify for a moving expense deduction? Four questions to ask.
If you answer “yes” to the questions below, it’s likely you’re eligible to claim a federal income tax deduction.
Follow all rules when transferring assets to an irrevocable trust
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.