Beware of income-based limits on itemized deductions and personal exemptions
Many tax breaks are reduced or eliminated for higher-income taxpayers. Two of particular note are the itemized deduction reduction and the personal exemption phaseout. Income thresholds If your adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds the applicable threshold, most of your itemized deductions will be reduced by 3% of the AGI amount that exceeds the threshold […]
Transfer a family business in a tax-smart way
Is a family-owned business your primary source of wealth? If so, it’s critical to plan carefully for the transition of ownership from one generation to the next. The best approach depends on your particular circumstances. If your net worth is well within the estate tax exemption, you might focus on reducing income taxes. But […]
Ensure your retirement benefits provider is truly providing
Many retirement plan sponsors consider converting to new providers starting with the new plan year. For calendar year plans, that means January 1. If this is the case for your company, now is a good time to ensure your service provider is truly providing. Basic questions A good provider should have demonstrable experience in […]
Depreciation-related breaks offer 2016 tax savings on business real estate
Commercial buildings and improvements generally are depreciated over 39 years, which essentially means you can deduct a portion of the cost every year over the depreciation period. (Land isn’t depreciable.) But enhanced tax breaks that allow deductions to be taken more quickly are available for certain real estate investments: 1. 50% bonus depreciation. This additional […]
Please go home: The problem businesses face with presenteeism
What keeps business owners up at night? Many would say sluggish productivity or escalating expenses. An employee coming to work every day usually doesn’t make the list. But a staff member who never takes a day off can cause problems by showing up sick, distracted or too stressed out to be effective. There’s a name […]
Fair value reporting: What it means to the FASB and you
In 2002, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), as part of its move toward international financial reporting convergence, began to transition from the principle of historic cost to fair value reporting. Fair value estimates are now used to report such assets as derivatives, nonpublic entity securities, certain long-lived assets, and acquired goodwill and other intangibles. […]
Do you qualify for a moving expense deduction?
Tax impact of investor vs. trader status
If you invest, whether you’re considered an investor or a trader can have a significant impact on your tax bill. Do you know the difference? Investors Most people who trade stocks are classified as investors for tax purposes. This means any net gains are treated as capital gains rather than ordinary income. That’s good if […]
How does a “charitable IRA rollover” in 2016 affect your taxes?
Last year a break valued by many charitably inclined retirees was made permanent: the charitable IRA rollover. If you’re age 70½ or older, you can make direct contributions — up to $100,000 annually — from your IRA to qualified charitable organizations without owing any income tax on the distributions. Satisfy your RMD A charitable IRA […]
Streamline your sales staff’s workflow
Do you know how much time your salespeople spend actually selling? In many cases, sales reps spend too much time doing reporting, administrative tasks and other nonsales responsibilities assigned to them. If you can streamline your sales staff’s workflow to keep them better focused on selling, your profitability may benefit. Emphasize strengths To get started, […]
