Inflation-adjusted items and tax tables for 2019 tax year are released

On Nov. 15, the IRS issued the 2019 annual inflation adjustments for many tax provisions as well as the 2019 tax rate tables for individuals and estates and trusts (Rev. Proc. 2018-57). These adjusted amounts will be used to prepare tax year 2019 returns in 2020. Many amounts are increasing for inflation in 2019. The …

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Final regulations govern Sec. 965 transition tax

The IRS finalized regulations on Wednesday on the Sec. 965 transition tax, which was added to the Code by the law known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, P.L. 115-97. Sec. 965 applies to the last tax year of a deferred foreign income corporation (DFIC) that begins before Jan. 1, 2018. The Subpart F …

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New Sales Tax Rules Affect Certain Small Businesses Across the U.S.

A new sales tax rule is being enacted in over half the states in the nation. This brief guide explains the basics of economic nexus laws, provides resources to help keep your company compliant and considers how the law may benefit local businesses. Just when you thought business taxes couldn’t get more complicated, an increasing …

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Certain moving expenses incurred in 2017 not subject to withholding and employment tax in 2018

In IR-2018-190 and Notice 2018-75, the IRS announced that employer reimbursements made in 2018 of qualified moving expenses incurred prior to 2018 in connection with a move that occurred prior to Jan. 1, 2018, may be excluded from employees' wages and gross income despite the suspension of the exclusion for tax years 2018 through 2025 …

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Some individual taxpayers get relief from underpayment penalty

Responding to concerns that individual taxpayers may have found it difficult to correctly estimate their 2018 tax liability because of the many changes enacted in the law known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, P.L. 115-97, the IRS issued relief from the penalty for underpayment of estimated income tax to individual taxpayers who have …

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Meals continue to be deductible under IRS guidance

The IRS issued guidance clarifying that taxpayers may generally continue to deduct 50% of the food and beverage expenses associated with operating their trade or business, despite changes to the meal and entertainment expense deduction under Sec. 274 made by the law known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), P.L. 115-97. According to …

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The IRS Loves Your Business … and That is NOT Good

The IRS continues to focus their audit activities in key small business areas. The wise business owner is well advised to be able to defend the following five areas to keep the IRS at a comfortable distance: Business or hobby? Be ready to provide proof your business is truly a business and not a hobby. …

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2019 standard mileage rates announced

The optional standard mileage rates for business use of a vehicle will increase significantly in 2019, after increasing slightly last year, the IRS announced Friday (Notice 2019-2). For business use of a car, van, pickup truck, or panel truck, the rate for 2019 will be 58 cents per mile up from 54.5 cents per mile …

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