Buying or Launching a Business? Know the Tax Rules
Starting or buying a business often requires significant spending before the business officially opens. Fortunately, the tax law allows you to deduct at least some of these start-up costs instead of waiting until you sell the business to receive a tax benefit. Deducting Start-up Costs In general, you may deduct up to $5,000 in qualifying […]
What Business Owners Should Know About Intangible Asset Taxes
If you plan to sell a business or an intangible asset, you need to understand a critical tax rule that can significantly increase your tax bill. Tax law treats many self-created intangible assets as non-capital assets. This treatment means you must report the gain as ordinary income instead of lower-taxed long-term capital gain. This rule […]
Small Business Owners: Are You Missing This Tax Break?
Many business owners overlook a powerful strategy that allows them to pay family members, reduce taxes, and avoid payroll taxes altogether by choosing to hire a family member for a “one-time project.” You likely know the traditional approach: hire your child and put them on payroll. That strategy works well for younger children in a […]
How the 2026 Childcare Credit Can Save Small Businesses Thousands
Beginning in 2026, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) increases the employer childcare credit for small businesses to 50 percent of qualified expenses, up to $600,000 per year. This means the OBBBA childcare credit for small businesses can provide significant tax relief. Even one-owner businesses can benefit—and the savings are substantial. If you operate […]
A Small Business Owner’s Guide to Health Plans and Tax Savings
All small-business owners with one to 49 employees should have a medical plan for their business. Sure, it’s true that with 49 or fewer employees, the tax law does not require you to have a plan, but you should. When you have 49 or fewer employees, most medical plan tax rules are straightforward. Here are […]
Dog Breeding and the IRS: Turning Your Hobby into a Legitimate Business
Are you involved in a dog breeding business or considering starting one? If so, you are in the IRS’s crosshairs. The IRS has long considered dog breeding to be an activity typically classified as a hobby, rather than a business, for tax purposes. When it comes to taxes, hobbies are usually tax disasters. Unlike a […]
Last Chance to Claim the 2021 Employee Retention Credit
If your business has not yet claimed the 2021 Employee Retention Credit (ERC), you still have time—but you must act soon. What Is the ERC, and How Much Can You Claim? The ERC is a refundable tax credit designed to support businesses that retained employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. For the 2021 tax year, eligible […]
2024 Last-Minute Retirement Deductions
The clock continues to tick. Your retirement is one year closer. You have time before December 31 to take steps that will help you fund the retirement you desire. Here are five things to consider if you want to add to your 2024 retirement deductions. 1. Establish Your 2024 Retirement Plan First, a question: Do […]
2024 Last-Minute Medical Plan Tax Strategies
All small-business owners with one to 49 employees should have a medical plan for their business. Sure, it’s true that with 49 or fewer employees, the tax law does not require you to have a plan, but you should. When you have 49 or fewer employees, most medical plan tax rules are straightforward. Here are […]