Federal Taxes

What’s a “small business,” and why does it matter?

Although your business may seem big to you, you may wonder how the government classifies it for tax purposes. If your organization qualifies as a “small business,” you may enjoy several important tax advantages. But the rules for specific tax provisions vary. So, depending on your size, you might be eligible for some so-called small […]

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Fine-tune your tax withholding after filing your return

Many taxpayers discover at filing time that their tax payments during the year didn’t align with their actual liability — either too much or too little was withheld from their paychecks. A small difference is to be expected, but withholding that’s significantly off target can have negative consequences. Overwithholding reduces the amount available to you

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Don’t miss your opportunity to make a 2025 IRA contribution — whether you can deduct it or not

Generally, each year you can contribute up to the annual limit to a traditional or Roth IRA (or a combination of the two). But once the contribution deadline has passed, the opportunity to contribute for that year is lost forever. The deadline for 2025 IRA contributions is April 15, 2026. You may be eligible to

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Tax filing FAQs for individuals

The IRS is opening the filing season for 2025 individual income tax returns on January 26. This is about the same time as when the agency began accepting and processing 2024 tax year returns last year, despite IRS staffing having been significantly reduced since then. Here are answers to some FAQs about filing. When is

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Checking off RMDs on the year-end to-do list

You likely have a lot of things to do between now and the end of the year, such as holiday shopping, donating to your favorite charities and planning get-togethers with family and friends. For older taxpayers with one or more tax-advantaged retirement accounts, as well as younger taxpayers who’ve inherited such an account, there may

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How will taxes affect your merger or acquisition?

Whether you’re selling your business or acquiring another company, the tax consequences can have a major impact on the transaction’s success or failure. So if you’re thinking about a merger or acquisition, you need to consider the potential tax impact. Asset sale or stock sale? From a tax standpoint, a transaction can basically be structured

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Shift income to take advantage of the 0% long-term capital gains rate

Are you thinking about making financial gifts to loved ones? Would you also like to reduce your capital gains tax? If so, consider giving appreciated stock instead of cash. You might be able to eliminate all federal tax liability on the appreciation — or at least significantly reduce it. Leveraging lower rates Investors generally are subject to

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The 2025 SALT deduction cap increase might save you substantial taxes

If you pay more than $10,000 in state and local taxes (SALT), a provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) could significantly reduce your 2025 federal income tax liability. However, you need to be aware of income-based limits, and you may need to take steps before year end to maximize your deduction. Higher

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Understanding the most common IRS notices

For many taxpayers, receiving a letter from the IRS can feel intimidating. The envelope arrives with the IRS seal, and immediately, worry sets in: Did I make a mistake? Am I in trouble? The truth is, IRS notices aren’t uncommon, and most of them can be resolved fairly easily once you understand what they mean. This article

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Tax Court case provides lessons on best recordkeeping practices for businesses

Running a successful business requires more than delivering great products or services. Behind the scenes, meticulous recordkeeping plays a crucial role in financial health, compliance and tax savings. Good records can mean the difference between successfully defending a deduction and losing valuable tax breaks. A recent U.S. Tax Court decision underscores just how important this

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