An IRS audit is a review/examination of an organization’s or individual’s accounts and financial information to ensure information is reported correctly according to the tax laws and to verify the reported amount of tax is correct. IRS audits are conducted either by mail (e.g., you receive a letter in the mail that you must respond to) or through an in-person interview. Continue reading “What Are My Rights If I Am Audited?”
Are You A Small Business Owner Looking for Ways to Reduce Your Taxes?
If you’re like most small business owners, you’re always looking for ways to lower your taxable income (legally of course). Here are five ways to do just that. Continue reading “Are You A Small Business Owner Looking for Ways to Reduce Your Taxes?”
Do You Need to Get Information For Previous Tax Years?
Tax season may be over, but you still need to hang onto your tax returns and other tax records for at least three years. However, if the IRS believes you have significantly underreported your income (by 25 percent or more), or believes there may be an indication of fraud they have the authority to go back six years in an audit. Furthermore, some documents including those related to real estate sales should be kept for three years after filing the return on which they reported the transaction. Continue reading “Do You Need to Get Information For Previous Tax Years?”
What to do if you haven’t Filed a Tax Return
Tuesday, April 17, 2018, was the tax deadline for most taxpayers to file their tax returns. If you haven’t filed a 2017 tax return yet, it’s not too late, and it may be easier than you think. Continue reading “What to do if you haven’t Filed a Tax Return”
Do You Know the “ABC’s” of an HSA-Health Savings Account?
While similar to FSAs (Flexible Savings Plans) in that both allow pre-tax contributions, Health Savings Accounts or HSAs offer taxpayers several additional tax benefits such as contributions that roll over from year to year (i.e., no “use it or lose it”), tax-free interest on earnings, and when used for qualified medical expenses, tax-free distributions.
Continue reading “Do You Know the “ABC’s” of an HSA-Health Savings Account?”
Traveling as Part of Your Charitable Giving? You May Have a Tax Deduction!
Do you plan to donate your time to charity? If travel is part of your charitable giving, for example, driving your personal auto to collect donations from local business, you may be able to deduct these travel expenses on your tax return and lower your tax bill. Here are five tax tips you should know if you travel while giving your services to charity.
Continue reading “Traveling as Part of Your Charitable Giving? You May Have a Tax Deduction!”
2018 Standard Mileage Rates
Beginning on January 1, 2018, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck are:
Is a Home Based Business Right for You?
More than half of all businesses today are home-based. Every day, people are striking out and achieving economic and creative independence by turning their skills into dollars. Garages, basements, and attics are being transformed into the corporate headquarters of the newest entrepreneurs–home-based business people.
And, with technological advances in smartphones, tablets, and iPads as well as rising demand for “service-oriented” businesses, the opportunities seem to be endless.
Tax Changes for 2018
Many of the tax provisions pursuant to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) are in full effect. From health savings accounts to tax rate schedules and standard deductions, here’s a checklist of tax changes to help you plan the year ahead.
Tax Planning Strategies for Small Business Owners
Countless tax planning strategies are available to small business owners. Some are aimed at the owner’s individual tax situation and some at the business itself, but regardless of how simple or how complex a tax strategy is, it will be based on structuring the strategy to accomplish one or more of these often overlapping goals:
Continue reading “Tax Planning Strategies for Small Business Owners”