If you've given money or property to someone as a gift, you may owe federal gift tax, but in many cases, you will not. For example, there is usually no tax if you make a gift to your spouse or a charity. If you make a gift to someone else, the gift tax usually does not apply until the value of the gifts you give that person exceeds the annual exclusion for the year. In 2021, you can give any amount up to $15,000 per person per year with no gift tax liability. However, gifts exceeding that...
Posts by Caras & Shulman
Changing Jobs? Don’t Forget About Your 401(k)
One of the most important questions you face when changing job is what to do with the money in your 401(k) because making the wrong move could cost you thousands of dollars or more in taxes and lower returns. Let's say you put in five years at your current job. For most of those years, you've had the company take a set percentage of your pretax salary and put it into your 401(k) plan. Now that you're leaving, what should you do? The first rule of thumb is to leave it alone. You have 60 days to...
Tax Considerations When Selling Your Small Business
Selling a small to medium-sized business is a complex venture, and many business owners are not aware of the tax consequences. If you're thinking about selling your business the first step is to consult a competent tax professional. You will need to make sure your financials in order, obtain an accurate business valuation to determine how much your business is worth (and what the listing price might be) and develop a tax planning strategy to minimize capital gains and other taxes to maximize...
Tax Tips for May 2021
Click on the links below to jump to each section in this article: File on Time - Even if You Can't Pay Common Errors To Avoid When Filing a Tax Return Refunds for Nontaxable Unemployment Compensation Recovery Rebate Credit May Be Different Than Expected Deductions for Food or Beverages From Restaurants File on Time - Even if You Can't Pay Generally, taxpayers should file their tax returns by the deadline even if they cannot pay the full amount due, but if you can't, there are several...
Deducting Business-Related Car Expenses
If you're self-employed and use your car for business, you can deduct certain business-related car expenses. There are two options for claiming deductions: Actual Expenses. To use the actual expense method, you need to figure out the actual costs of operating the car for business use. You are allowed to deduct the business-related portion of costs related to gas, oil, repairs, tires, insurance, registration fees, licenses, and depreciation (or lease payments). Standard Mileage Rate. To use the...
Avoiding Tax Surprises When Retiring Overseas
Are you approaching retirement age and wondering where you can retire to make your retirement nest egg last longer? Retiring abroad may be the answer. But first, it's important to look at the tax implications because not all retirement country destinations are created equal. Taxes on Worldwide Income Leaving the United States does not exempt U.S. citizens from their U.S. tax obligations. While some retirees may not owe any U.S. income tax while living abroad, they must still file a return...
Saving for Education: Understanding 529 Plans
Many parents are looking for ways to save for their child's education, and a 529 Plan is an excellent way to do so. Even better is that thanks to the passage of tax reform legislation in 2017, 529 plans are now available to parents wishing to save for their child's K-12 education as well as college (two and four-year programs) or vocational school. The SECURE Act expanded the 529 Plan to include fees, books, supplies, and equipment for apprenticeship programs and repayment of principal and...
Tax Withholding for Seasonal and Part-Time Employees
Many businesses hire part-time or full-time workers, especially in the summer. The IRS classifies these employees as seasonal workers, defined as an employee who performs labor or services on a seasonal basis (i.e., six months or less). Examples of this kind of work include retail workers employed exclusively during holiday seasons, sports events, or during the harvest or commercial fishing season. Part-time and seasonal employees are subject to the same tax withholding rules that apply to...
Tax Return Tips for Last-Minute Filers
What You Need to About Tax Return Tips for Last-Minute Filers When it comes to working on your taxes, earlier is better, but many people find preparing their tax return to be stressful and frustrating and wait until the last minute. Complicating matters this year is tax reform and the newly redesigned Form 1040. If you've been procrastinating on filing your tax return this year, here are eight tips that might help. Don't Delay Resist the temptation to put off your taxes until the very last...
Integra International Audit & Accounting Alert – April 2021 (Issue 4)
Finding ways to improve audit quality and eradicate fraud are never ending tasks. Continued vigilance is a necessity. British authorities have been studying the issues from several angles over the past two years. The outcomes from three studies have been analyzed and incorporated into a comprehensive set of proposals that address the roles of corporate directors, shareholders, auditors and regulators alike. This issue of the Audit & Accounting Alert highlights significant aspects of the resulting consultation paper.