Health Savings Accounts: An Often-Overlooked Tax Savings
For certain taxpayers, such as high-income employees, it is challenging to find ways to reduce federal tax liabilities proactively. Since high-income employees often have sufficient cash to fund out-of-pocket medical expe... Thomas Gorczynski, EA, USTCP
When Married Filing Jointly May Not Be Best
Ask any tax preparer the best filing status for a married couple, and most of the time the answer will be “married filing jointly,” of course. The filing status normally is one of the easier items when prep... Jennifer L. Cable, EA
COVID Leave Update: Voluntary Extension and Expansion of FFCRA Leave
As with any new presidential administration there is always a period of out with the old and in with the new. Many of you may have noticed the flurry of news reports regarding changes or new hires made by the new administration. If you are anything like... Christina N. Rogers
Your Questions Answered
QUESTION #1: During tax year 2019, one of our firm’s business clients had a very successful year. The business is a general partnership and it provides consulting services. Pass-through income, and thus taxable income, was high enough that the qualified business incom... Alison Flores, JD
Books to Tax in a Snap
When clients hands over a QuickBooks (QB) file at income tax time, the expectation is you have what you need and tax preparation will be a breeze. Depending on the client, you are either elated or you want to cringe; there is not much in between. It is important for tax preparers to feel ... Geri Bowman, EA, CPA, USTCP
The Gig Economy
The gig economy is a growing income sector in the world and a growing niche for tax professionals to harvest. Before jumping into this market, it is necessary to know some things about this area of practice. Let’s start with the definition of a gig, per Merriam-Webster: “a job usually for ... Kathryn M. Morgan, EA
Employees and the Self-employed: A Comparison under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), signed into law on December 22, 2017, is favorable to businesses of all types – corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships. The TCJA reduced C corporation taxes to a flat rate of 21 percent, down from a gradua... Gil Charney, CPA/PFS, CFP, CGMA, CMA, MBA
Tax Implications of Home Flipping: Dealer Or Investor
With today’s hot real estate market and rapidly escalating property values, many clients are engaging in real estate investing and house flipping. Indeed, there are many reality TV shows and real estate networks dedicated to glamorizing the quick profits that can be made in these activities. What these programs fail to mention are the tax consequences of these transactions. As tax professionals, that’s where we come in... Keith A. Espinoza, EA
Gambling As a Profession Tax Implication
The thrill of a slot machine jackpot is exhilarating. Waiting for a casino attendant to come and do the legendary “hand pay” (paying the taxpayer at the machine) gets taxpayers’ hearts racing. Most taxpayers get so caught up in the moment that the tax consequence of their winning is a distant thought. It is so distant, in fact, that many taxpayers forget they even received that W2-G and leave it off their tax return. However, when the... Tracy L. Bunner, EA
Ride Share
Rideshares are a new phenomenon that replaces taxi services. These services use technology as the main apparatus for their business strategy. Customers can now request a ride through a smartphone application that will subsequently ping a driver nearby. Uber Technologies, Inc. started this idea in 2009, which led to numerous other startups. Rideshare services are more efficient than typical taxi cabs and are less expensive for the customer. Fu... Christine Kuglin, EA, Angela Busila, CPA, Brandon Anderson