Consider a Roth IRA for an Overfunded 529 Plan
Have you established, or are you considering, a Section 529 savings plan for a child, grandchild, or other family member? Such plans are a great way to help pay for a person’s college education. Contributions are not federally tax deductible, but they grow tax-free, and you can withdraw them tax-free to pay higher education expenses. […]
Rental Property Tip: Add a New Roof, Deduct the Old One
The IRS in its repair regulations gives you a partial disposition election that benefits you when you replace a structural component such as a roof on your office building or rental property. Previously, when you replaced a structural component such as a roof, the old roof’s remaining depreciation continued on your books, an ugly result. […]
Is Your Sideline Activity Considered a Business or a Hobby?
Do you have a sideline activity that you think of as a business? From this sideline activity, are you claiming tax losses on your Form 1040? Will the IRS consider your sideline a business and allow your loss deductions? If you have such an activity, we should have your attention. The IRS likes to claim […]
Buy-Sell Agreements: Does Your Co-Owned Business Need One?
As a co-owner of a business—whether it’s an existing venture, a new enterprise you’re founding, or a company you’re considering buying into—you must consider the structural and legal frameworks that are crucial to ensuring the stability and continuity of your investment. One such framework is a buy-sell agreement, an essential tool for managing ownership transitions […]
Self-Employment Taxes for Partnerships and LLCs?
Here’s a question: Does a member of a limited liability company (LLC) or a partner in a partnership have to pay self-employment taxes (Social Security and Medicare tax) on the member’s or partner’s share of the entity’s income? Incredibly, the answer is not always clear. If you are a general partner in a general partnership, […]
5 Rules for Turning Your Vacation into Tax-Deductible Business Travel
Here’s an idea: how about transforming your next vacation into business travel? With careful planning, your transportation to any destination could be fully deductible. This includes airfare—even first-class—luxury hotel stays, and cruise expenses. If you can tie your travel to business purposes, you can enjoy substantial tax savings, depending on your tax bracket. Two Main […]
Converting Your Partnership into an S Corporation Tax-Free
Let’s say you’re considering converting your partnership into an S corporation. The reason might be to reduce exposure for you and the other owners to Social Security and Medicare taxes, which come in the form of the self-employment tax for partners. Specifically, each partner’s share of net partnership income is usually fully exposed to the […]
Deducting Start-Up Costs For Your Rental Property
Are you interested in becoming a commercial or residential landlord? Understanding Deducting Start-Up Costs For Your Rental Property is essential. If so, you’ll likely have to shell out plenty of money before ever collecting a dime in rent. The tax code treats some of those monies as start-up expenses for your rental property, so knowing […]
The Limitations on IRS Audits and Tax Assessments
Nobody wants to spend their whole life looking over their shoulder, wondering if the IRS will audit them. Luckily, there is a statute of limitations on IRS audits and tax assessments. Once the limitations period expires, the IRS can’t audit your return or assess any additional tax. You may have heard that the statute of […]
IRAs For Young Adults: The Basics
As we navigate the complexities of financial planning, one opportunity stands out for young adults: individual retirement accounts (IRAs). With the 2023 tax-year contributions deadline fast approaching, on April 15, 2024, now is the perfect time to consider how you can leverage an IRA. Traditional and Roth IRAs: A Brief Overview Both traditional and Roth […]