Posts by Caras & Shulman

Business Tax Provisions: The Year in Review

Business Tax Provisions: The Year in Review

Here's what business owners need to know about tax changes for 2020. Standard Mileage Rates The standard mileage rate in 2020 is 57.5 cents per business mile driven. Health Care Tax Credit for Small Businesses Small business employers who pay at least half the premiums for single health insurance coverage for their employees may be eligible for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit as long as they employ fewer than the equivalent of 25 full-time workers and average annual wages do not...

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Tax Tips for November 2020

Tax Tips for November 2020

Click on the links below to jump to each section in this article: Seasonal Workers and the Healthcare Law Tips for Taxpayers: Backup Withholding Tax-Related Items To Keep in Mind When Disaster Strikes Individual Retirement Arrangements: Terms To Know   Seasonal Workers and the Healthcare Law Businesses often need to hire workers on a seasonal or part-time basis. For example, some businesses may need seasonal help for holidays, harvest seasons, commercial fishing, or sporting events....

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Investing in Opportunity Zones: The Facts

Investing in Opportunity Zones: The Facts

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included numerous changes for businesses and individuals. One of these was the creation of the Opportunity Zones tax incentive, the purpose of which is to spur economic development and job creation in distressed communities by providing tax benefits to investors. Which Communities Qualify as Opportunity Zones? Low-income communities and certain contiguous communities qualify as Opportunity Zones if a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory nominated them...

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Year-End Tax Planning Strategies for Business Owners

Year-End Tax Planning Strategies for Business Owners

Several end-of-year tax planning strategies are available to business owners that can be used to reduce their tax liability. Let's take a look: Deferring Income Businesses using the cash method of accounting can defer income into 2021 by delaying end-of-year invoices so that payment is not received until 2021. Businesses using the accrual method can defer income by postponing the delivery of goods or services until January 2021. Purchase New Business Equipment Bonus Depreciation. Businesses...

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Individual Taxpayers: Year-End Tax Planning Strategies

With the end of the year fast approaching, now is the time to take a closer look at tax planning strategies you can use to minimize your tax burden for 2020. General Tax Planning Strategies General tax planning strategies for individuals include accelerating or deferring income and deductions, as well as careful consideration of timing-related tax planning strategies concerning investments, charitable gifts, and retirement planning. For example, taxpayers might consider using one or more of...

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Tax Preparation vs. Tax Planning

Tax Preparation vs. Tax Planning

Many people assume tax planning is the same as tax preparation, but the two are quite different. Let's take a closer look: What is Tax Preparation? Tax preparation is the process of preparing and filing a tax return. Generally, it is a one-time event that culminates in signing your return and finding out whether you owe the IRS money or will be receiving a refund. For most people, tax preparation involves one or two trips to your accountant (CPA), generally around tax time (i.e., between...

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Tax Treatment of Virtual Currency Transactions

Tax Treatment of Virtual Currency Transactions

Whether you’ve invested in Bitcoin and sold it at a profit or loss or received it for services performed, you’ll need to report it on your tax return. Prior to 2014, there was no IRS guidance and many people did not understand that selling virtual currency was a reportable transaction. They may have found themselves with a hefty tax bill — money they were hard-pressed to come up with at tax time. Others were unaware that they needed to report their transactions at all or failed to do so because it seemed too complicated.

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