Household Help: Employee or Contractor?
Article Highlights: Household Employee Definition Employee Control Factors Self-employed or Employee Withholding Requirements Reporting Requirements Taxpayers often will hire an individual or firm to provide services at the taxpayer’s home. Because the IRS requires employers to withhold taxes for employees and issue them W-2s at the end of the year, the big question is whether…
Read MoreSmall Business Owners May Qualify for a Home-Office Deduction
Article Highlights: Qualifications Actual Expense Method Simplified Method Home Office Expenses for Renters vs. Homeowners How Moving Affects the Home-Office Deduction Other Issues Gross Income Limitation “Home office” is a type of tax deduction that applies to the business use of a home; the space itself may not actually be an office. One of the…
Read MoreHealth Savings Accounts (HSA) Fill Multiple Tax Needs
Article Highlights: Medical Savings Account Retirement Account High-Deductible Plan Eligible Individuals Monetary Qualification for an HSA Qualification Chart Maximum Contributions Establishing an HSA The Health Savings Account (HSA) is one of the most misunderstood and underused benefits in the Internal Revenue Code. Congress created HSAs as a way for individuals with high-deductible health plans (HDHPs)…
Read MoreLooking Ahead to 2019 Taxes
Article Highlights: Solar Credit Plug-In Electric Vehicle Credit Penalty for Not Having Health Insurance Medical Deduction Restrictions New Alimony Rules Standard Deduction Increase Increased Retirement Contributions Federal Tax Brackets Increase You have your 2018 tax return filed, or perhaps on extension, and now it is time to look forward to the changes that will impact…
Read MoreGet Those Kids a Job, and Take Advantage of Tax Breaks (Kiddie Tax)
Article Highlights Higher Standard Deduction IRA Options Self-Employed Parent Employing Your Child Tax Benefits Children who are dependents of their parents are subject to what is commonly referred to as the kiddie tax. This generally applies to children under the age of 19 and full-time students over the age of 18 and under the age…
Read MoreWhat You Need to Know about Student Loan Interest
Article Highlights: Home Equity Loan Home Equity Interest Deduction Alternative Minimum Tax Above-the-Line Interest Deduction Qualified Expenses If you are considering borrowing funds to finance your college education or that of your spouse or children, it is important that you understand that the student loan interest deduction is not limited to the interest paid…
Read MoreBig Changes to College Savings Plans
Article Highlights: Sec. 529 Plans Saving for College Elementary and Secondary School Tuition ABLE Account Transfers Tax reform added some new taxpayer-advantageous changes to college savings plans. These plans are also known as qualified tuition programs (QTPs) or Sec. 529 plans, named after the part of the Internal Revenue Code that established them. Background: Sec.…
Read MoreHow Some High-Income Taxpayers Can Maximize the New 20% Pass-through Business Deduction
Article Highlights: 20% Sec. 199A Pass-through Deduction Specified Service Business Limitations Taxable Income Limitations Wage Limitations Benefits of Being Organized as an S Corporation Taxpayers with higher 1040 taxable incomes who are self-employed but are not “specified service businesses” may find it beneficial to structure new businesses, or restructure an existing business, as an S…
Read MoreA Mid-Year Tax Checkup May Be Appropriate
Article Highlights: Concerns About Proper Withholding Late IRS W-4 and Withholding Tables New W-4 Complications Self-employed Estimated Payments Events That Can Impact Taxes Taxes are similar to vehicles, in that they sometimes need a check-up to make sure they are performing as expected. That is especially true for 2018, with all of the changes brought…
Read MoreHow Long Should You Hold On To Old Tax Records?
Article Highlights: The general statute: 3 years Longer durations in some states Fraud, failure to file and other issues that extend the statute’s duration Keeping the actual return Ordering copies of previously filed returns This is a common question: How long must taxpayers keep copies of their tax returns and supporting documents? Generally, taxpayers should…
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