The One Big Beautiful Bill Act increased the standard deduction and added a new deduction for seniors as follows: Updated Amounts Married Filing Jointly & Surviving Spouse: $31,500 Head of Household: $23,625 Single & Married Filing Separately: $15,750 Additional Deduction for Seniors There’s a new additional deduction of $6,000 per person for taxpayers 65 and […]
Taxes
Better Meals Deduction
Unfortunately, business meals are only 50% deductible for tax purposes. However, there are two ways your business meals can be 100% deductible, according to the IRS. Recreational Expenses for Employees Normally meals are 50% deductible and entertainment is not deductible at all. But if the meals are for recreational, social, or similar activities for your […]
Tips for Start-Ups
The stats on business failures are depressing, and here are some tips to ensure your success. Experience with the Industry If you have worked in the industry for many years, especially as a manager, then you have a solid background of experience to help you run your own business. This is especially true if you […]
One Way to Simplify Your Tax Situation
There is one common situation I see every tax season, and making this change would simplify your tax situation. Number of Financial Accounts Minimizing the number of financial accounts you have, when possible, will not only simplify your tax situation, but will also help to simplify your finances. Actions to take include closing out or […]
Need More Time?
Do you need more time to file your individual tax return? If you need more time to gather all of your information to file an accurate tax return, then you should file an extension by 4/15 with the IRS and any state you need to file a return for. Here’s what you need to do: […]
Easy IRS Red Flag to Avoid
The last thing anyone wants is to be audited by the IRS. One simple way to avoid waving a red flag at the IRS is to be aware of this . . . Information Matching The IRS receives a significant number of informational returns from businesses that are required to report payments they made to […]
How Will IRS Job Cuts Impact You?
There was a recent announcement regarding staffing cuts at the IRS. How will this impact you and should you be concerned? Background Information The IRS hired approximately 22,000 people during 2022, 31,000 during 2024, and approximately 20,000 during 2024 for a total workforce of more than 100,000 employees. This has been the largest number of […]
Heavy Vehicle Heavy Deduction
As a business owner, there are tax benefits for using a vehicle for business purposes. Not all vehicles are created equally, and here are examples of some that produce a larger deduction. SUV’s and Pickups Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) above 6,000 pounds and not more than 14,000 produce a much greater […]
Tax Scam Alerts
Scams are on the rise now that it’s tax season. The IRS has made taxpayers aware of popular scams on their website, including: Charity Impersonators To make sure the charity you are donating to is legitimate, then you can use the tax exempt organization search function at https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/ Unfortunately, a contribution to a fake charity […]
Don’t Make These 2 Mistakes When Paying Your Taxes
When paying your tax balances or estimated tax payments, there are two ways that commonly create issues with the IRS and the states. These are: Paying by Check Making a tax payment with an old-fashioned check creates issues in multiple ways. Making a Payment from Your Spouse’s Tax Account or Social Security Number For some […]