10/20 – Are you taking full tax advantage of your business property?
HSA + HDHP = Your ideal benefits strategy?
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) were created as a tax-favored framework to provide health care benefits mainly for small to midsize businesses and the self-employed. So, assuming your company falls into one of these categories, have you considered the strategy of using these accounts with a high-deductible health plan (HDHP)? Tax benefits The tax benefits of […]
Innovate or acquire? That’s the strategic question
Many companies reach a point in their development where they have to make an important decision: Innovate themselves or acquire a competitor? Of course, it isn’t always an either/or decision. Nonetheless, business owners should consider the pluses and minuses of both approaches. Innovating to grow Innovation is a broad term that encompasses many strategies — […]
Businesses can also be disrupted by tax identity theft
A great deal of attention is paid to individual tax identity theft — when a taxpayer’s personal information (including Social Security number) is used to fraudulently obtain a refund or commit other crimes. But businesses can also be victims of tax identity theft. Significant consequences Business tax identity theft occurs when a criminal uses the […]
Combine business travel and a family vacation without losing tax benefits
Are you thinking about turning a business trip into a family vacation this summer? This can be a great way to fund a portion of your vacation costs. But if you’re not careful, you could lose the tax benefits of business travel. Reasonable and necessary Generally, if the primary purpose of your trip is business, […]
Are your children prepared to handle your wealth?
If you’ve built up a large estate and are eager to share your wealth with your children, you may be concerned about their ability to handle it. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help ensure they won’t blow through their inheritance at a young age. Build incentives and flexibility into a trust An […]
3 keys to strong business financials
Businesses fail for many reasons — dysfunctional management, insufficient working capital, insurmountable competition. Why they succeed, on the other hand, is often easily explained. Regardless of size and sector, most healthy companies share the following three characteristics when it comes to their financials: 1. Ample revenue You’ve no doubt heard it before, but this cliché […]
Substantial doubt: It’s a matter of opinion
Auditors reconsider the “going concern” assumption every time they audit your financial statements. When your company’s long-term viability is doubtful, it may cause the auditor to issue a qualified audit opinion. Depending on the level of uncertainty and the underlying reasons, a qualified opinion could raise a red flag that your company is under financial […]
Documentation is the key to business expense deductions
If you have incomplete or missing records and get audited by the IRS, your business will likely lose out on valuable deductions. Here are two recent U.S. Tax Court cases that help illustrate the rules for documenting deductions. Case 1: Insufficient records In the first case, the court found that a taxpayer with a consulting […]
The “kiddie tax”: A trap for the unwary
It’s common for parents, grandparents and others to make gifts to minors and college students. Perhaps you want to help fund education expenses or simply remove assets from your taxable estate. Or maybe you’re hoping to shift income into a lower tax bracket. Whatever the reason, beware of the “kiddie tax.” What is the kiddie […]
