Click on the links below to jump to each section in this article: Medicare Premiums may Lead to Tax Savings Don't Wait Until the Last Minute to File Your Extended Return! An Employee Benefit with Possible Magnetic Power Medicare Premiums may Lead to Tax Savings If you pay premiums for Medicare health insurance, you may be able to combine them with other qualifying expenses and claim them as an itemized deduction for medical expenses on your tax return. This includes amounts for “Medigap” insurance and Medicare Advantage plans, which cover some costs that Medicare Parts A and B don’t cover. Generally, you can deduct medical expenses only if you itemize deductions and only to the extent that total qualifying health care expenses exceeded 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. But, if...
Are You Aware of the Business Credits and Other Tax Benefits Available?
It’s a challenging time for many businesses. Therefore, any help you can get, such as tax incentives and sales tax exemptions, can make a big difference. Unfortunately, these benefits often go unclaimed because businesses don’t know about them or erroneously think they’re ineligible.
Tax Considerations When Choosing a Business Entity
Are you in the process of starting a business or contemplating changing your business entity? If so, you’ll need to decide how to organize your company. Should you operate as a C corporation or as a pass-through entity such as a partnership, limited liability company (LLC) or S corporation? Among the important factors to consider are the potential tax consequences.
A Tax Break for Educators
Teachers who are getting ready for a new school year often pay for some of their classroom supplies out-of-pocket. They may be able to get some of that cost back by taking advantage of a special tax break for educators.
How to Keep Control Over Inventory
Many businesses need to have some inventory available. But having too much inventory is expensive, not just to purchase but also to store, safeguard and insure. So, keeping your inventory as lean as possible is critical.
Tax Tips for August 2024
Click on the links below to jump to each section in this article: Using an IRA Withdrawal for a Qualified Home Purchase Get a Jump on Tax Planning How to Deduct Business Travel Using an IRA Withdrawal for a Qualified Home Purchase Purchasing a home is an expensive proposition that leaves many would-be buyers feeling cash strapped. If that’s you, you might be thinking about taking some money out of your traditional IRA to help fund the purchase. But should you? Afterall, a 10% penalty normally applies to IRA withdrawals before age 59 1/2. The good news is that there’s an exception to the penalty for certain home purchases, subject to a lifetime limit of $10,000. To qualify, you must be purchasing an eligible “first-time” principal residence for yourself, your spouse, your child,...
Renting to Family Members
As rents continue to rise in many areas, you may decide to help your financially challenged family members by renting a property to them at a discount. But this can lead to the loss of significant tax deductions. Here’s a look at the tax treatment that applies when you rent to unrelated parties and how the rules change when you rent to relatives.
5 Strategies for Improving Collections
Businesses that operate in the retail or restaurant spheres have it relatively easy when it comes to collections. They generally take payments right at a point-of-sale terminal and customers go on their merry way. For other types of companies, it’s not so easy. Collections can be particularly difficult for business-to-business operations, which often find themselves in complex relationships with key customers. In these businesses, it’s often not as simple as “pay up or hit the road.”
Independent Contractors: Classify Carefully
Many businesses use independent contractors to help keep their costs down and provide flexibility for short-term needs. But the question of whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor is complex. Be careful that your independent contractors are properly classified for federal tax and employment tax purposes, because if the IRS reclassifies them as employees, it can be an expensive mistake.
Tax Tips for July 2024
Click on the links below to jump to each section in this article: HSAs Can Be Powerful Retirement Saving Tools Handle Your 401(k) Rollover With Care Valuable Tax Credit Available for Energy-Efficient Homes HSAs Can Be Powerful Retirement Saving Tools Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are tax-advantaged savings vehicles for funding health care expenses not covered by insurance. And for those in relatively good health, they also may serve as attractive retirement savings vehicles. To be eligible to contribute, an individual must be covered by a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). In 2024, an HDHP must have a deductible of at least $1,600 for individual coverage or $3,200 for family coverage. For 2024, you can contribute up to $4,150 to an HSA, $8,300 if you have family coverage (plus...