If you are one of the millions of taxpayers who received a smaller-than-expected tax refund or a surprise tax bill after filing your federal income tax returns for 2018, you can take comfort in knowing you are not alone. If you do not want to end 2019 in a similarly disappointing financial position or worse, […]
The IRS recently issued guidance to help taxpayers in high-tax states understand how the new tax law’s $10,000 annual limit on deductions for state and local taxes (SALT), and property and real estate taxes affects the tax treatment of SALT refunds they receive beginning in tax year 2019. In general, taxpayers may exclude from their […]
Many individuals filing their first federal income tax returns since the enactment of the new tax law are surprised to learn that they were not able to write off the donations they made to non-profit organizations in 2018. While few people give to charity solely for a tax break, much ink has been spilled over […]
Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), businesses have an opportunity to claim larger depreciation deductions beginning in 2018 for qualifying new and used property, including passenger vehicles, they acquire and place into service between Sept. 28, 2017, and Dec. 31, 2026. However, it is critical that businesses pay particular attention to recent IRS […]
By Edward N. Cooper, CPA The IRS has issued its annual list of the Dirty Dozen scams that taxpayers should look out for in 2019. Under U.S. laws, taxpayers are legally responsible for the information contained in their tax returns, even when those documents are prepared by someone else. Therefore, it is critical that you […]
The IRS is providing penalty relief to the millions of taxpayers it says may have fallen short of their total tax liabilities for 2018 due to the revamp of the U.S. tax code under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Thanks, in part, to the efforts of the accounting profession, including of the American […]
Eligible employees who enrolled to participate in their employers’ health care flexible spending arrangements (FSAs) for 2019 will be able to contribute and use up to a maximum of $2,700 tax-free dollars to pay for certain medical expenses not covered by their health insurance plans this year. That’s a $50 increase from the 2018 FSA […]
With the start of the 2019 tax season, businesses must educate employees, implement controls and take other steps to avoid falling victim to a growing wave of identity theft and W-2 scams. Identity thieves have been targeting small businesses at an alarming rate. Not only are criminals stealing business data to open credit card accounts […]
The IRS announced the annual inflation adjustments to various provisions of the tax code for 2019. You should consider each of these changes very carefully as you plan for tax efficiency this year and when you prepare your 2019 tax returns in 2020. Tax Rates The top tax rate of 37 percent applies to individual […]
Taxpayers affected by disasters, such as fires, floods or hurricanes, may need to reconstruct their records to prove they suffered losses for tax purposes and to qualify for federal assistance and insurance reimbursement. Following are some resources to help individual obtain copies of documentation that they may have lost as a result of a disaster […]