How Are Gambling Winnings Taxed?
Most people don’t think about taxes on their way to the track or casino, but what might seem like nothing more than the chance to win some extra money actually carries significant tax implications. As is often the case, federal and state governments single out casino winnings for unique taxes of their own. Failure to properly report […]
Merry May Tax Moves
Welcome to the merry, merry month of May, which is particularly joyous for folks who’ve finished up their 2016 tax returns. That’s almost 136 million of us, with around 17 million of those 1040 forms arriving at Internal Revenue Service processing centers in the final days of this year’s main filing season. While the 2017 […]
Startups Can Choose New Option for Claiming Research Credit
Eligible small business startups can now choose to apply part or all of their research credit against their payroll tax liability, instead of their income tax liability, according to the Internal Revenue Service. During National Small Business Week—April 30 to May 6—the IRS is highlighting tax benefits and resources designed to help new and existing […]
IRS Rollout for E-Services Upgrade
The Internal Revenue Service is planning June 18 as the tentative date for moving its e-Services platform to what it promises will be more secure and modern technology. In recent years, the IRS has experienced security breaches from identity thieves targeting several of its online self-service applications, including the Get Transcript app, the Identity Protection […]
Accounting Niche in the Restaurant Industry: What You Need to Know
The restaurant industry has areas that are totally specific to it. Those who want to get into that area, who want to do it right, need to become experts in those areas that really differentiate that industry: Most restaurant clients are tax oriented clients; sometimes you will have audits if you have a large restaurant […]
Why we put off filing our taxes and how to stop it.
The 2017 tax filing season has been officially underway for just more than a week. Lots of folks have already filed their returns. And, according to ecstatic posts on social media, some have received their refunds. Other taxpayers, however, are waiting to file. Form-ulaic delay: Why the delay. In a lot of cases, folks haven’t yet […]
Employers Must File Forms W-2 by January 31st
The Internal Revenue Service today reminds employers that the due date for filing Forms W-2, the Wage and Tax Statement for their employees for calendar year 2016, is now Jan, 31, 2017. Also, those who hire contract workers and have to file Form 1099-MISC now must file by Jan. 31. The new deadline applies whether […]
The IRS Taxpayer Bill of Rights and You
Taxpayers have fundamental rights under the law. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights presents these rights in 10 categories, which can help taxpayers when they interact with the IRS. This post highlights a list of taxpayer rights and the agency’s obligations to protect them. 1. The Right to Be Informed. Taxpayers have the right to know what […]
How Does Volunteering for a Charity Affect My Taxes?
This time of year our thoughts turn to giving– to friends, family, and to charity. And it is also the time of year that we begin to think about – taxes. If you volunteer, you may be wondering “how does volunteering for a charity affect my taxes?”. Though the time you give to a charity […]
Tax Benefits to Increase Slightly in 2017
The Internal Revenue Service announced that annual inflation adjustments will affect more than 50 tax provisions, including the tax rate schedules, and will result in tax benefits to increase slightly in 2017. Here are some highlights of the changes: The standard deduction for married filing jointly rises to $12,700 for tax year 2017, up $100 […]
Deadline Extended to Provide Health Coverage Statements to Employees
The IRS extended the 2017 due date for employers and coverage providers to furnish health coverage statements to individuals. The due dates to file those returns with the IRS are not extended. This chart can help you understand the upcoming deadlines. (This chart applies only for reporting in 2017 for coverage in 2016) Action 2017 […]
Seasonal Workers and Health Care Laws
As an employer, your size – for purposes of the Affordable Care Act – is determined by the number of your employees. If you hire seasonal or holiday workers, you should know how these employees are counted under the health care law. Employer benefits, opportunities and requirements are dependent upon your organization’s size and the […]
10 Easy End of Year Tax Tips to Increase Your Tax Refund
It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is already upon us and the year will be coming to a close soon! Now is a great time to make some end of season tax moves to help lower your tax bill and increase your tax refund come tax time. Once the year ends, so do most […]
New W-2 Filing Deadline for Employers
New Law Sets Jan. 31 W-2 Filing Deadline; Some Refunds Delayed Until Feb. 15 A new federal law moves up the W-2 filing deadline for employers and small businesses to Jan. 31. The new law makes it easier for the IRS to find and stop refund fraud. It also delays some taxpayer refunds. Those taxpayers […]
Year End Small Business Tax Tips
When the year begins to wind down, many small businesses wonder if there are any last-minute tax tips that can save some money when they pay taxes. After all, once the year is up you may lose the ability to claim certain deductions or benefits, so it makes sense to ensure you’re taking advantage of […]
Guide to Marketplace Open Enrollment
Marketplace Open Enrollment for 2017 health insurance is just around the corner, and whether you sign up for health insurance on healthcare.gov or through your state Marketplace, your local Dallas CPA is here to help guide you through the process. Whether you have had a change in life circumstance, are self-employed and need access to […]
Celebrate Fall with Ways to Save
What better way to celebrate Fall than by saving some money? With the temperature beginning to drop, it’s time to start looking around the house for ways to save on energy costs. Take advantage of some great tax credits and deductions for energy-efficient purchases. The Residential Energy Efficient Property Tax Credit offers you some major tax […]
7 Mistakes To Avoid When Reclassifying Employees
Organizations across the country are responding to the U.S. Department of Labor’s new overtime salary threshold by reclassifying some of their exempt employees into overtime-eligible nonexempts. Starting Dec. 1, the new DOL rules take effect that nearly double the salary threshold at which most salaried workers become exempt from having to be paid overtime. The […]
New IRS Private Debt Collection Program
The Internal Revenue Service has announced it’s new debt collection program and that it plans to begin private collection of certain overdue federal tax debts next spring and has selected four contractors to implement the new program. The new program, authorized under a federal law enacted by Congress last December, enables these designated contractors to […]
IRS Warns of Email Tax Scam
The Internal Revenue Service and its Security Summit partners have issued an alert to taxpayers to be on guard against fake emails purporting to contain an IRS tax bill related to the Affordable Care Act. The IRS has received numerous reports around the country of scammers sending a fraudulent version of CP2000 notices for tax […]
