Congress continues to discuss tax reform and whether taxes and spending should be raised or lowered. One of the topics being bantered about is whether long-term capital gains rates should be increased. Although it is difficult to say where tax rates will go in the future, we have a pretty
Many businesses continually make expenditures to improve and maintain business property. However, it is not always clear whether the amount incurred to repair or refurbish that business property is a capital expense or an incidental repair. Proper classification is critical because, for federal tax purposes, capital expenditures (see below) must
Although we can’t escape death or taxes, we may be able to minimize the federal income taxes due on our final Form 1040. Filing a tax return after we die (we are then known as the “decedent”) is probably not something most of us think much about. But, a final
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) were created as a tax-favored framework to provide health care benefits. HSAs are targeted mainly at the self-employed, small business owners, and employees of small to medium-sized companies who do not have access to health insurance. The tax benefits of HSAs are quite favorable and substantial.
Legislation in 2008 waived the Minimum Required Distributions (MRDs) for 2009 from IRAs and defined contribution plans, including Section 401(k), 403(b), and state-sponsored Section 457 plans. It did not otherwise change MRD rules. Therefore, MRDs are once again required in 2010. The 2009 waiver has no impact on the 2010
If escalating energy costs have you looking for ways to reduce your gas and electric bills, here are some tips on how you can cut costs and reap tax-saving energy credits as well. A great way to cut energy costs and save up to $1,500 in federal income taxes is
The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (the HIRE Act) includes two temporary payroll tax breaks intended to boost hiring. An interesting point about these breaks is that they could be claimed for a business owner’s newly hired spouse. They might also be claimed for wages paid to other newly
Four years ago, the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (TIPRA) relaxed some restrictive rules preventing many taxpayers from converting a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, but this favorable change was not effective until 2010. Well, 2010 is almost here and the old saying “good things come
As we approach year-end, there is still time to take action to lower your 2009 tax bill and add to your tax -advantaged retirement accounts. Here are a few ideas to get you started before year-end. This is by no means an exhaustive list, so please contact us for additional
