QuickBooks does an excellent job of tracking the sale of individual products and services. You can create item records in the software and have them available in lists when you create transactions. QuickBooks’ reports can tell you whether you’re making or losing money on individual items and your sales. However, your small business may need […]
Employers are required to withhold federal tax from supplemental wages paid to employees. These include bonuses, commissions, reimbursements (so long as you don’t have an accountable plan), severance, cash prizes, retroactive raises and taxable fringe benefits. Suppose you pay a bonus separately from regular wages. In that case, you generally must either 1) withhold 22% […]
Many taxpayers are unclear on the difference between deductions and credits. Both can be powerful tax-saving tools. Here’s how they each work: Deductions lower a taxpayer’s taxable income before the tax is calculated. For instance, on an individual return, you can either claim the standard deduction or itemize deductions, depending on which option reduces your taxable […]
It’s time again to start thinking about getting your tax return prepared. Here are some quick tips you can use to help speed tax processing and avoid hassles.
With so many people working remotely, it’s become more common to think about moving to another state, perhaps for better weather, to be closer to family or to reduce living expenses. Retirees also look at out-of-state moves for many of the same reasons. If you’re thinking about such a move, consider taxes before packing up […]
Working from home isn’t new, especially for self-employed people. But during the height of the pandemic, millions of jobs were moved from employers’ premises to employees’ private homes. Many continue working from home and wonder if they qualify for the home office tax deduction. The short answer is: Only if you’re self-employed. As a result […]
Tax-saving benefits are generally available when your business puts newly acquired qualifying assets into service. Under Section 179 of the tax code, companies can take substantial depreciation deductions, subject to various limits adjusted annually for inflation. Another potential write-off is for first-year bonus depreciation. Like the Sec. 179 deduction, bonus depreciation is subject to limits […]
Collecting unpaid invoices is probably one of the most unpleasant tasks you must complete to keep your company’s finances going. No one likes contacting a customer and requesting that an outstanding bill be settled. But you know your cash flow will suffer if you don’t do this when needed. Putting it off leads to an […]
The IRS has issued the 2025 cents-per-mile rates that can be used to calculate tax-deductible vehicle operating costs. Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the standard mileage rate for the business use of a car, van, pickup truck or panel truck is 70 cents per mile. This is up from 67 cents per mile for 2024. (For […]
Another year is here, and that comes with a new school semester and tuition bills for many people. If you’re considering helping a grandchild or other loved one with their college expenses, first take time to review the tax implications. If the total amount you give to the student in 2025 exceeds the annual gift […]
Filing joint tax returns generally results in the lowest tax bill for married couples. However, in some circumstances, they may pay less taxes if they file separately, such as when one spouse has large medical expenses. Medical expenses are deductible only to the extent that they exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI). So if […]