How to Avoid Retirement Account Early Withdrawal Penalties
The government does not want you to withdraw money from your IRAs and other retirement accounts before age 59 1/2. To deter early withdrawals, the government imposes a 10 percent penalty tax, in addition to regular income tax in the case of tax-deferred accounts. But what if you want to access your retirement funds before […]
Plan Your Passive Activity Losses for Tax-Deduction Relevance
In 1986, lawmakers drove a stake through the heart of your rental property tax deductions (The Tax Reform Act of 1986). That stake, called the passive-loss rules, causes myriad complications that now, 37 years later, are still commonly misunderstood. The Trap In 1986, lawmakers made you shovel your taxable activities into three basic tax buckets. Looking […]
Use In-Kind RMDs to Avoid Selling Your Retirement Account Assets
Are you 72 or older? If so, you must take a required minimum distribution (RMD) from your traditional IRA, SEP-IRA, or SIMPLE IRA by the end of the year. If you turn 72 this year, you can wait until April 1 of next year to take your first RMD—but you’ll also have to take your […]
Grouping 101: Tax Strategy for Owners of Multiple Businesses
When you own more than one business, you need to consider the grouping rules that apply for passive-loss purposes. Should one of your businesses lose money, you may not deduct the losses from that business during the current tax year unless you materially participate in the business or, if grouped, materially participate in the group; […]
Health Savings Accounts: The Ultimate Retirement Account
It isn’t easy to make predictions, especially about the future. But there is one prediction we’re confident in making: you will have substantial out-of-pocket expenses for health care after you retire. Personal finance experts estimate that an average retired couple age 65 will need at least $300,000 to cover health care expenses in retirement. You […]
Selling Your Highly Appreciated Vacation Home? What About Taxes?
The tax-code-defined vacation home rules come into play when you have both rental and personal use of a home. Thus, you can have tax-code-defined vacation homes in the city, in the suburbs, and in recreation areas. If you have no combined rental and personal use of the home, the rules are easy. The property is […]
Change Independent Contractors into Employees, Trouble Free
You have read horror stories about how the IRS audits business owners and deems their 1099 independent contractors W-2 employees—and then assesses tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars in back payroll taxes, interest, and penalties. Are you one of those horror stories? Okay, let’s say you are one of them. You know that you […]
Buying an Electric Vehicle? Know These Tax Law Changes
There’s good and bad news if you’re in the market for an electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. The good news is that the newly enacted Inflation Reduction Act includes a wholly revamped tax credit for electric vehicles that starts in 2023 and continues through 2032. The bad news is that the credit, now called the […]
2022 Last-Minute Year-End Tax Strategies for Marriage, Kids, and Family
Dear Client: Are you thinking of getting married or divorced? If yes, consider December 31, 2022, in your tax planning. Here’s another planning question: Do you give money to family or friends (other than your children, who are subject to the kiddie tax)? If so, you need to consider the zero-taxes planning strategy. And […]
What To Look For In An Accountant
The truth is, it may take a few tries before you find a good accountant that is the right fit for you. Too many business owners and individuals spend years putting up with an accountant who may get the job done, but really doesn’t take the time to understand their unique situation, offer proper business […]