Strategies for minimizing estimated tax payments

Taxpayers must pay their taxes throughout the year either through payroll withholding or by making quarterly estimated payments; otherwise, tax underpayment penalties are assessed. However, underpayment penalties are avoided if any of the following situationsapply: Small balance due after federal income tax withholding: The tax, after reducing it for federal income tax withheld, is less …

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Top 15 Tax Deductions For The Self-Employed

As a self-employed person, you probably have been watching the development of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act with some trepidation. The tax code is not often kind to the self-employed, nor are most of the changes to the code. However, the new tax law retains most self-employment deductions and offers a few new forms …

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IRS warns small businesses about tax return identity theft

The IRS warned employers and small businesses to beware of growing attempts by cybercriminals to target businesses to obtain the business's and employees' information. These criminals then use the stolen information to open credit card accounts and file fraudulent tax returns for "bogus refunds." In the past two years, the IRS has noted an increase …

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Form 1040 to be shorter but with more schedules

The IRS is working on a draft version of the 2018 Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, that reduces the size of the form to two half-pages in length and eliminates more than 50 lines, compared to the 2017 version of the form. The draft form moves many items that The 2018 draft form, …

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IRS issues final regulations on electing out of centralized partnership audit regime

The IRS and Treasury published final regulations (T.D. 9829) on Jan. 2, 2018, that provide guidance on electing out of the new centralized partnership audit regime introduced by the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2015, P.L. 114-74. It is important that partners, partnerships, and their representatives be aware of the rules in the final regulations …

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Mechanics of the new Sec. 199A deduction for qualified business income

One of the more important provisions in P.L. 115-97, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, enacted Dec. 22, 2017, is new Sec. 199A, the deduction for qualified business income (QBI). Sec. 199A allows a deduction for up to 20% of QBI from partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), S corporations, trusts, estates, and soleproprietorships. …

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1 Out of Every 4 Small Businesses with Employees Lacks Workers’ Comp Coverage

Not only can workers’ compensation help protect injured workers from having to pay expensive medical bills, it can potentially prevent them from suing their employer to recoup their medical expenses.A recent poll conducted by Insureon and Manta found that of the more than 900 small business owners surveyed who have employees, 26 percent do not …

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IRS issues first guidance on new business interest limitation

In Notice 2018-28, the IRS answered important questions about the new business interest limit in Sec. 163(j), as amended by P.L. 115-97, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), and asked for general comments on regulations it plans to issue. Under amended Sec. 163(j), the deduction for business interest is limited to the …

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Standard mileage rates, depreciation amounts updated

The IRS provided information to taxpayers about changes in the use of standard mileage rates and increased depreciation limits for passenger automobiles as a result of P.L. 115-97, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which made amendments to Secs. 67 and 217. In Notice 2018-42, the IRS modified Notice 2018-03, which provided the …

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