If you operate a small business, or you’re starting a new one, you probably know you need to keep records of your income and expenses. In particular, you should carefully record your expenses in order to claim the full amount of the tax deductions to which you’re entitled. And you want to make sure you […]
Good records are the key to tax deductions and trouble-free IRS audits Read More »
If you’re age 65 and older, and you have basic Medicare insurance, you may need to pay additional premiums to get the level of coverage you want. The premiums can be costly, especially if you’re married and both you and your spouse are paying them. But there may be a silver lining: You may qualify
Seniors: Can you deduct Medicare premiums? Read More »
The economic impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is unprecedented and many taxpayers with student loans have been hard hit. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act contains some assistance to borrowers with federal student loans. Notably, federal loans were automatically placed in an administrative forbearance, which allows borrowers to temporarily stop making
Student loan interest: Can you deduct it on your tax return? Read More »
The IRS has issued guidance clarifying that certain deductions aren’t allowed if a business has received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. Specifically, an expense isn’t deductible if both: The payment of the expense results in forgiveness of a loan made under the PPP, and The income associated with the forgiveness is excluded from gross
Fortunate enough to get a PPP loan? Forgiven expenses aren’t deductible Read More »
In light of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many businesses are interested in donating to charity. In order to incentivize charitable giving, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act made some liberalizations to the rules governing charitable deductions. Here are two changes that affect businesses: The limit on charitable deductions for corporations has
Business charitable contribution rules have changed under the CARES Act Read More »
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected many Americans’ finances. Here are some answers to questions you may have right now. My employer closed the office and I’m working from home. Can I deduct any of the related expenses? Unfortunately, no. If you’re an employee who telecommutes, there are strict rules that govern whether you can
Do you have tax questions related to COVID-19? Here are some answers Read More »
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act eliminates some of the tax-revenue-generating provisions included in a previous tax law. Here’s a look at how the rules for claiming certain tax losses have been modified to provide businesses with relief from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. NOL deductions. Basically, you may be able to
The CARES Act liberalizes net operating losses Read More »
The law providing relief due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic contains a beneficial change in the tax rules for many improvements to interior parts of nonresidential buildings. This is referred to as qualified improvement property (QIP). You may recall that under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), any QIP placed in service after December
New COVID-19 law makes favorable changes to “qualified improvement property” Read More »
If you own a home, the interest you pay on your home mortgage may provide a tax break. However, many people believe that any interest paid on their home mortgage loans and home equity loans is deductible. Unfortunately, that’s not true. First, keep in mind that you must itemize deductions in order to take advantage
Home is where the tax breaks might be Read More »
If you’re self-employed and work out of an office in your home, you may be entitled to home office deductions. However, you must satisfy strict rules. If you qualify, you can deduct the “direct expenses” of the home office. This includes the costs of painting or repairing the home office and depreciation deductions for furniture
Do you run your business from home? You might be eligible for home office deductions Read More »