The Electoral College has confirmed new president-elect making great changes next year. For now, we still need to keep track of the routine things involved in bookkeeping and tax. Here are some quick steps: 1. Make charitable contributions before year-end This is an exceptional way to reduce your tax burden for the year as well. Remember to look up the charity to see what they do with your donations. Also, the IRS imposes several rules for claiming a deduction for donation:

What is CTC? In 1998, the Child Tax Credit (CTC) was available for the public by legislation. This policy started from $400 for each qualifying child. It is used to relief the heavy tax that certain taxpayers with qualified dependents are facing. How much can you earn from it? As of today, this policy lifts the amount of credit to a considerable degree: Up to $2,000 per qualifying child; Up to $500 per ualifying dependent; Within the amount of CTC, up to $1,400 of it ca

If people haven’t filed their tax returns for a number of years, they are likely anxious and find themselves glancing over shoulder periodically to see if Uncle Sam has caught up with them. Once a refund is older than three years, they can no longer be claimed and can’t be applied to other year income tax liabilities. Thus, non-filers may have the IRS jumping on them about filing or they might be missing records. They may also end of owing quite a bit to the IRS by complement

Business filing deadlines depend on a number of variables including the business structure the company uses. A non-calendar year fiscal year also impacts the due date. Therefore, business tax filings due dates can vary widely. However, the initial due date for most business tax returns is March 15 or April 15. Sole Proprietors and Single Member LLCs Sole proprietors and single member LLCs that use the default disregarded entity status must complete Schedule C or Schedule E

With the extended 2017 tax filing season drawing to a close, now is the time to act promptly if you still need to claim a tax refund. Your preparer may take information directly from you or ask you to complete a questionnaire. Either way, you’ll need time to collect and organize the information. Here are 10 steps to take before meeting for your tax prep. 1. Choose a preparer Hiring a professional – trustworthy tax preparer is actually important. Be sure that the person you

It is essential that business owners correctly determine whether the individuals providing services are employees or independent contractors. Basically, you must withhold income taxes, withhold and pay Social Security and Medicare taxes, and pay unemployment tax on wages paid to an employee. You do not generally have to withhold or pay any taxes on payments to independent contractors. Before you can determine how to treat payments you make for services, you must first know

Not everyone is required to file an income tax return each year. Generally, if your total income for the year doesn't exceed certain thresholds, then you don't need to file a federal tax return. Consider your gross income thresholds Most taxpayers are eligible to take the standard deduction. The standard tax deduction amounts that you're eligible for are primarily determined by your age and filing status. The standard deduction, along with other available deductions, reduce

To be qualified for deduction, business meal and entertainment expenses must be directly associated with the active conduct of a trade or business, the production or collection of income. People must be able to prove: The amount of the expenditure The time, date, and place of the expense The purpose of the business discussion The identification of the people who participated It can be challenging; however, to understand which meals and entertainment are a valid deduction

The IRS issued (Rev. Proc. 2019-25) with the calendar-year 2020 inflation-adjusted figures for the annual HSA contribution limits. It includes the minimum deductible amounts and maximum out-of-pocket expense amounts for high-deductible health plans. For 2019, Maximum HSA Contribution Self-only: $3,500, Family: $7,000. Minimum HDHP Deductible Self-only: $1,350, Family: $2,700. HDHP Out-of-Pocket Maximum Self-only: $6,750, Family: $13,500. For 2020, Maximum HSA Contrib

Taxes are a necessary evil - the price we pay for roads, bridges, schools and law enforcement. Audits, on the other hand, feel just plain evil. In an effort to thwart fraud, the Internal Revenue Service audits about one percent of U.S. taxpayers every year. IRS computers are programmed to catch outliers and oddities on returns; any item that falls outside the norm may be flagged so that an IRS employee can review it to see if there's actually a need for an audit. Common red