Tax Planning

With the high cost of college, many parents begin saving with 529 plans when their children are babies. Contributions to these plans aren’t tax deductible, but they grow tax deferred. Earnings used to pay qualified education expenses can be withdrawn tax-free. However, earnings used for other purposes may be subject to income tax plus a […]

A recent report shows that post-pandemic global business travel is going strong. The market reached $665.3 billion in 2022 and is estimated to hit $928.4 billion by 2030, according to a report from Research and Markets. If you own your own company and travel for business, you may wonder whether you can deduct the costs of having […]

As tax season heats up, companies of all kinds and sizes will be on the hunt for ways to reduce their tax bills. One of the most common ways is through business expense deductions, but not every such expense is deductible. Here’s what to know about the expenses that you can — and can’t — […]

Did you make large gifts to your children, grandchildren or others last year? If so, it’s important to determine if you’re required to file a 2023 gift tax return. In some cases, it might be beneficial to file one — even if it’s not required. Who must file? The annual gift tax exclusion has increased […]

Did you donate to charity last year? Acknowledgment letters from the charities you gave to may have already shown up in your mailbox. But if you don’t receive such a letter, can you still claim a deduction for the gift on your 2023 income tax return? It depends. What the law requires To prove a […]

The following chart provides some important federal tax information for 2024, as compared with 2023. Social Security/ Medicare 2024 2023 Social Security Tax Wage Base $168,600 $160,200 Medicare Tax Wage Base No limit No limit Employee portion of Social Security 6.2% 6.2% Employee portion of Medicare 1.45% 1.45% Individual Retirement Accounts 2024 2023 Roth IRA Individual, […]

The IRS announced it will open the 2024 income tax return filing season on January 29. That’s when the tax agency will begin accepting and processing 2023 tax year returns. Here are answers to seven tax season questions we receive at this time of year. 1.What are this year’s deadlines? The filing deadline to submit […]

The so-called “kiddie tax” can cause some of a child’s unearned income to be taxed at the parent’s higher marginal federal income tax rates instead of at the usually much lower rates that a child would otherwise pay. For purposes of this federal income tax provision, a “child” can be up to 23 years old. […]

Once the 2023 tax year is over and the numbers are generally set in stone, you can itemize deductions on your federal income tax return if your total allowable itemized write-offs for the year exceeds your standard deduction allowance for the year. Otherwise, for 2023, you will claim the standard deduction, which is relatively high […]

The IRS has announced the 2024 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating a vehicle for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Background: If you use a vehicle for business driving, you can generally deduct the actual expenses attributable to your business use. This includes expenses such as gas, oil, tires, insurance, […]