Tax

Court awards and out-of-court settlements may (or may not) be taxed

Monetary awards and settlements are often provided for an array of reasons. For example, a person could receive compensatory and punitive damage payments for personal injury, discrimination or harassment. Some of this money is taxed by the federal government, and perhaps by state governments. Hopefully, you’ll never need to know how payments for personal injuries […]

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Selling stock by year-end? Watch out for the wash sale rule

If you’re thinking about selling stock shares at a loss to offset gains that you’ve realized during 2022, it’s important to watch out for the “wash sale” rule. The loss could be disallowed Under this rule, if you sell stock or securities for a loss and buy substantially identical stock or securities back within the

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Intangible assets: How must the costs incurred be capitalized?

These days, most businesses have some intangible assets. The tax treatment of these assets can be complex. What makes intangibles so complicated? IRS regulations require the capitalization of costs to: Acquire or create an intangible asset, Create or enhance a separate, distinct intangible asset, Create or enhance a “future benefit” identified in IRS guidance as

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Computer software costs: How does your business deduct them?

These days, most businesses buy or lease computer software to use in their operations. Or perhaps your business develops computer software to use in your products or services or sells or leases software to others. In any of these situations, you should be aware of the complex rules that determine the tax treatment of the

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Three tax breaks for small businesses

Sometimes, bigger isn’t better: Your small- or medium-sized business may be eligible for some tax breaks that aren’t available to larger businesses. Here are some examples. 1. QBI deduction. For 2018 through 2025, the qualified business income (QBI) deduction is available to eligible individuals, trusts, and estates. But it’s not available to C corporations or

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Weathering the storm of rising inflation

Like a slowly gathering storm, inflation has gone from dark clouds on the horizon to a noticeable downpour on both the U.S. and global economies. Is it time for business owners to panic? Not at all. As of this writing, a full-blown recession is possible but not an absolute certainty. And the impact of inflation

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IRA charitable donations: An alternative to taxable required distributions

Are you a charitably minded individual who is also taking distributions from a traditional IRA? You may want to consider the tax advantages of making a cash donation to an IRS-approved charity out of your IRA. When distributions are taken directly out of traditional IRAs, federal income tax of up to 37% in 2022 will

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The tax rules of renting out a vacation property

Summer is just around the corner. If you’re fortunate enough to own a vacation home, you may wonder about the tax consequences of renting it out for part of the year. The tax treatment depends on how many days it’s rented and your level of personal use. Personal use includes vacation use by your relatives

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The election to apply the research tax credit against payroll taxes

The credit for increasing research activities, often referred to as the research and development (R&D) credit, is a valuable tax break available to eligible businesses. Claiming the credit involves complex calculations, which we can take care of for you. But in addition to the credit itself, be aware that the credit also has two features

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