IRS reform law aims to improve customer service and taxpayer security
On July 1, President Trump signed into law the Taxpayer First Act of 2019, which changes the management and oversight of the IRS with the aim of improving customer service, including the process for filing appeals, as well as modernizing its technology. Many of the provisions will take effect as of July 1, 2019, although […]
Qualified Opportunity Fund is a worthy option for investing capital gains
The business landscape is ever evolving as many owners are selling their businesses or restaurants or retiring. The upside is these business owners are often realizing a significant return on their life’s investment. The downside is a large capital gains tax bill is looming on the horizon. There is an option that can provide a […]
Summer: A good time to review your investments
You may have heard about a proposal in Washington to cut the taxes paid on investments by indexing capital gains to inflation. Under the proposal, the purchase price of assets would be adjusted so that no tax is paid on the appreciation due to inflation. While the fate of such a proposal is unknown, the […]
If your kids are off to day camp, you may be eligible for a tax break
Now that most schools are out for the summer, you might be sending your children to day camp. It’s often a significant expense. The good news: You might be eligible for a tax break for the cost. The value of a credit Day camp is a qualified expense under the child and dependent care credit, […]
Are you withholding enough? Now is a good time to check
Due to the massive changes in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the 2019 filing season resulted in a few surprises. Some filers who have gotten a refund in past years wound up owing money. The IRS reports that the number of refunds paid this year is down from last year — and the average […]
Congress mulls bill to provide tax relief after natural disasters
The spring tornado season is here, and in some places in the country, has descended with force. The months of April and May have seen more than 500 tornadoes in a 30-day period, according reports from federal government weather forecasters in The New York Times. The violent storms stretched from eastern Colorado and New Mexico […]
Hiring this summer? You may qualify for a valuable tax credit
Is your business hiring this summer? If the employees come from certain “targeted groups,” you may be eligible for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). This includes youth whom you bring in this summer for two or three months. The maximum credit employers can claim is $2,400 to $9,600 for each eligible employee. 10 targeted […]
New Oregon Corporate Activity Tax takes effect in 2020
High-earning business taxpayers in Oregon will soon have to pay higher taxes under the new statewide corporate activity tax. The Corporate Activity Tax is a new business tax in addition to the state’s corporate income tax. The new tax is effective for tax years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2020, and it imposes a […]
Tax-smart domestic travel: Combining business with pleasure
Summer is just around the corner, so you might be thinking about getting some vacation time. If you’re self-employed or a business owner, you have a golden opportunity to combine a business trip with a few extra days of vacation and offset some of the cost with a tax deduction. But be careful, or you […]
Think you’re too big to be hacked? Think again
No organization is too big to be hacked. It seems there are almost daily reports about large companies that have fallen victim to hackers. In most circumstances, the hackers will gain access to the account and set up rules and additional folders through the settings that will automatically forward emails containing financial data to an […]