Category: IRS

In a surprising move, the IRS announced the SECURE 2.0 rule, that catch-up contributions for high earners must go into Roth accounts, will be delayed until 2026. Originally to start in 2024, the delay provides a window for employers’ retirement plans to comply with the law and employees to reap the tax benefits of current catch-up contributions. The rule requires employees aged 50 or above, who earned $145,000 or more the previous year, to make their employer-sponsored catch-up contributions in… Read more ›

Summer isn’t just for barbeques and baseball. It’s also a good time to think about ways to cut your 2023 business tax bill. Here are four planning ideas for small business owners to consider, assuming there won’t be any changes to current federal tax laws at least through 2024. 1. Establish a Tax-Favored Retirement Plan If your business doesn’t already have a retirement plan, now might be the time to take the plunge. Current rules allow for significant annual deductible… Read more ›

  Before signing a lease with potential tenants you must screen them to help ensure they can pay the rent and are responsible. That will help minimize the chances of wasting time and money trying to evict them and make repairs to the property. First, you want to review their credit rating and their income. You can check income by requesting pay stubs, W2 forms or filing with the IRS a Form 4506, Request for a Copy of Tax Return,… Read more ›

In the construction industry, supply-chain challenges are nothing new. They’ve just gotten much more media attention over the last few years. Increased globalization, a pandemic and geopolitical strife have all contributed to some notable slowdowns, though things have generally been better lately. One way that construction companies can mitigate supply-chain problems is to maintain their own inventories of various building materials, products and supplies. However, an inventory can also complicate tax planning. Here are three big issues to consider. 1…. Read more ›

While the value of virtual currency continues to fluctuate, the IRS’s interest in it has only increased. In 2021, for example, the agency launched Operation Hidden Treasure to root out taxpayers who don’t report income from cryptocurrency transactions on their federal income tax returns. Moreover, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, allocated $80 billion to the IRS, most of it designated for enforcement activities. However, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, enacted in May 2023, will claw back $21.39 billion of that amount by the end… Read more ›

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government provided several options for tax relief for businesses and tax-exempt groups, one of which was the employee retention tax credit (ERC). Some scammers, unfortunately, have stirred the attention of the IRS by aggressively misleading unsuspecting employers into thinking they are eligible to receive the credit and, as a result, manipulating them into submitting false, ineligible claims. The IRS has emphasized that organizations that improperly submit a claim for the ERC may… Read more ›

President Biden has signed into law the new debt ceiling agreement that he reached with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) suspends — as opposed to raising — the debt ceiling until 2025, after the next presidential election. The FRA also makes a variety of changes related to domestic spending, although it falls far short of the cuts included in the Republican bill that the House passed in April 2023, with no changes to… Read more ›

The U.S. Supreme Court recently weighed in on an issue in the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) that has split two federal courts of appeal. The 5-4 ruling in Bittner v. U.S. is welcome news for U.S. residents who “non-willfully” violate the law’s requirements for the reporting of certain foreign bank and financial accounts on what’s generally known as an FBAR. FBAR stands for the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts. FBAR Reporting Requirement The… Read more ›

The 2022 mid-term election has shifted the scales in Washington, D.C., with the Democrats no longer controlling both houses of Congress. While it remains to be seen if — and when — any tax-related legislation can muster the requisite bipartisan support, a review of certain provisions in existing laws may provide an indication of the many areas ripe for action in the next two years. Retirement catch-ups at risk The SECURE 2.0 Act, enacted at the tail end of 2022,… Read more ›

Debtors typically experience a feeling of relief when a creditor agrees to provide debt forgiveness. But that feeling often is replaced by shock and confusion when they learn they owe taxes on so-called “cancellation of debt” (COD) income. Read on to learn the tax rules for COD income and how they might affect your tax situation. General Rule of Debt Forgiveness Taxes The IRS considers your debt canceled if it’s forgiven or discharged for less than the full amount you owe…. Read more ›