As we approach the end of the year, there’s still time to reduce the taxes you owe in 2020. Here are six ideas that can save money for many taxpayers. 1. Leverage pre-tax savings Be sure to take advantage of opportunities to set aside income on a pre-tax basis. Some examples of these opportunities include: […]
A common misconception in tax filing is that those who use the Standard Deduction instead of itemizing deductions have few additional benefits available to reduce their tax bill. This is often not the case. Should you take the standard deduction or itemize? Every taxpayer can take the Standard Deduction to reduce their income. However, if […]
In guidance issued in late November, the IRS confirmed that taxpayers that received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and that paid eligible expenses with proceeds from that loan cannot deduct those expenses in the tax year in which the expenses were paid if, at the end of that tax year, the taxpayer reasonably expects […]
If you own shares of stock that have increased in value, one way to avoid a taxable gain is to gift them to another. Although it’s simple in concept, gifting stock does have some tax consequences to consider. Value of the gift When you gift stock there are not one, but two values to consider. […]
More than 70% of small businesses in America now have loan proceeds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help retain employees during the current pandemic. The entire amount of a PPP loan is eligible to be forgiven if the funds are used for qualified expenses. Recent legislation liberalizes the terms of loan forgiveness for […]
Tax rules change every year, but 2020 has seen more changes than most. There have been a lot of new laws and programs aimed at pandemic relief that you may have heard of, but there have also been some less well publicized tax law changes that you might be able to take advantage of. Here […]
What is normally a reliable estimate of your taxes – the amount of money withheld from your paychecks by your employer – may be an unreliable estimate this year thanks to the current pandemic. Even worse, using the safety net of paying in what you did last year may not be practical if your financial […]
A lot of people may be surprised, for different reasons, to find that they owe an estimated tax payment to the federal government this month. Those who usually file estimated tax payments may be surprised to learn that the estimated tax payment deadline has been postponed to July 15 due to coronavirus relief. Those who […]
Small business owners, self-employed workers, and freelancers received some welcome news when Congress recently passed the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act. This new law clarifies how businesses can qualify to have all or a portion of its Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiven. Here is what you need to know: December 31, 2020 is the new […]
Millions of Americans already received their economic impact payment. If you haven’t received yours, or if your economic impact payment was for an incorrect ammount, you might need to take action so that you can receive yours. Below are some common reasons why your stimulus payment may be incorrect, and how to fix the error. […]
Tens of millions of people find themselves without a job due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. If you are one of them, you might be looking for ways to get the funds you need to get through until you find employment. Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, you may be able […]
The IRS has issued a warning to the public to be on the lookout for a surge of calls and e-mail phishing attempts related to the coronavirus pandemic and the one-time economic impact payment. The IRS says that scammers may do the following when trying to contact you: Emphasize the words stimulus check or stimulus […]