Articles
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10 Facts About The Pass-Through Deduction For Qualified Business Income
Are you eligible to take the deduction for qualified business income (QBI)? Here are 10 facts about this valuable tax break, referred to as the pass-through deduction, QBI deduction, or Section 199A deduction. It’s available to owners of sole proprietorships, single member limited liability companies (LLCs), partnerships and S corporations. It may also be claimed…
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Seniors May Be Able to Write Off Medicare Premiums on Their Tax Returns
Are you age 65 and older, and do you have basic Medicare insurance? You may need to pay additional premiums to get the level of coverage you want. The premiums can be expensive, especially if you’re married and both you and your spouse are paying them. But there may be a bright side: You may…
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Tax-Favored Ways to Build Up a College Fund
If you’re a parent with a college-bound child, you may be concerned about being able to fund future tuition and other higher education costs. You want to take maximum advantage of tax benefits to minimize your expenses. Here are some possible options. Savings bonds Series EE U.S. savings bonds offer two tax-saving opportunities for eligible…
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Eligible Businesses: Claim the Employee Retention Tax Credit
The Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) is a valuable tax break that was extended and modified by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), enacted in March of 2021. Background Back in March of 2020, Congress originally enacted the ERTC in the CARES Act to encourage employers to hire and retain employees during the pandemic. At…
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Traveling for business again? What can you deduct?
As we continue to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be traveling again for business. Under tax law, there are a number of rules for deducting the cost of your out-of-town business travel within the United States. These rules apply if the business conducted out of town reasonably requires an overnight stay. Note…
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The Long and Short of Succession Planning
For many business owners, putting together a succession plan may seem like an overwhelming task. It might even seem unnecessary for those who are relatively young and have no intention of giving up ownership anytime soon. But if the past year or so has taught us anything, it’s that anything can happen. Owners who’ve built…
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Many Parents Will Receive Advance Tax Credit Payments Beginning July 15
Eligible parents will soon begin receiving payments from the federal government. The IRS announced that the 2021 advance child tax credit (CTC) payments created in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) will begin being made on July 15, 2021. How have child tax credits changed? The ARPA temporarily expanded and made CTCs refundable for 2021.…
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Buying and Selling Mutual Fund Shares: Avoid These Tax Pitfalls
If you invest in mutual funds, be aware of some potential pitfalls involved in buying and selling shares. Surprise sales You may already have made taxable “sales” of part of your mutual fund investment without knowing it. One way this can happen is if your mutual fund allows you to write checks against your fund…
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Recordkeeping DOs and DON’Ts for business meal and vehicle expenses
If you’re claiming deductions for business meals or auto expenses, expect the IRS to closely review them. In some cases, taxpayers have incomplete documentation or try to create records months (or years) later. In doing so, they fail to meet the strict substantiation requirements set forth under tax law. Tax auditors are adept at rooting…