If you’re claiming deductions for business meals or auto expenses, expect the IRS to closely review them. In some cases, taxpayers have incomplete documentation or try to create records months (or years) later. In doing so, they fail to meet the strict substantiation requirements set forth under tax law. Tax auditors are adept at rooting out inconsistencies, omissions and errors in taxpayers’ records, as illustrated by one recent U.S. Tax Court case.
The IRS recently released guidance providing the 2024 inflation-adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).
Many businesses use independent contractors to help keep their costs down — especially in these times of staff shortages and inflationary pressures. If you’re among them, be careful that these workers are properly classified for federal tax purposes. If the IRS reclassifies them as employees, it can be an expensive mistake.
Whether you’re operating a new company or an established business, losses can happen. The federal tax code may help soften the blow by allowing businesses to apply losses to offset taxable income in future years, subject to certain limitations.
The IRS has once again published its “Dirty Dozen” – an annual list of the top 12 tax scams that taxpayers and businesses should be on the lookout for. Although many of these scams peak during tax season, the IRS warns that taxpayers should be vigilant year-round.
Did you know that there is a tax advantage to taking money out of a C corporation as compensation rather than as dividends? A corporation can deduct the salaries and bonuses that it pays executives, but not dividend payments. If funds are paid as dividends, they’re taxed twice, once to the corporation and once to the recipient. Money paid out as compensation is only taxed once — to the employee who receives it.
If your business occupies substantial space and needs to increase or move from that space in the future, you should keep the rehabilitation tax credit in mind. This is especially true if you favor historic buildings.
Last week, Massachusetts lawmakers Dylan Fernandes and Josh Cutler filed legislation to create a pilot program studying the concept of a 4-day work week.
The Federal Reserve recently announced the launch of FedNow, a new real-time payments service that will enable faster and more secure financial payments for consumers and businesses. This system has the potential to revolutionize how people make payments in the US by providing instantaneous transfer of funds between banks in a matter of seconds, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
With summer right around the corner, you may be thinking about hiring seasonal help for your small business. At the same time, you may have children looking to earn extra spending money. You can save family income and payroll taxes by putting your child on the payroll. It’s a win-win!
