Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Saint Charles, MO CPA; Accounting, Tax & Consulting Accountants
Haven't Filed an Income Tax Return? What to Do
Check out this link:
Saint Charles, MO CPA; Accounting, Tax & Consulting Accountants
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Nine Facts about the New Vehicle Sales and Excise Tax Deduction
Hello!
Here are nine facts about the new vehicle sales and excise tax deduction. Read below for details.
Taxpayers who buy new motor vehicles this year may be entitled to a special tax deduction for the sales or excise taxes on those purchases when they file their 2009 federal tax returns next year. This tax break is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Taxpayers in states that do not have state sales taxes may be entitled to deduct other fees or taxes imposed by the state or local government.
Here are nine important facts the IRS wants you to know about the deduction.
1. State and local sales and excise taxes paid on up to $49,500 of the purchase price of each qualifying vehicle are deductible.
2. Qualified motor vehicles generally include new cars, light trucks, motor homes and motorcycles.
3. To qualify for the deduction, the new cars, light trucks and motorcycles must weigh 8,500 pounds or less. Motor homes are not subject to the weight limit.
4. Purchases must occur after Feb. 16, 2009, and before Jan. 1, 2010.
5. Taxpayers who purchase new motor vehicles in states that do not have state sales taxes may be entitled to deduct other fees or taxes assessed on the purchase of those vehicles. Fees or taxes that qualify must be based on the vehicles’ sales price or as a per unit fee. These states include Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon.
6. Taxpayers who purchase qualified motor vehicles may claim the deduction when they file their 2009 tax return in 2010.
7. The deduction may not be taken on 2008 tax returns.
8. This deduction can be taken regardless of whether the buyers itemize their deductions or choose the standard deduction. Taxpayers who do not itemize will add this additional amount to the standard deduction on their 2009 tax return.
9. The amount of the deduction is phased out for taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income is between $125,000 and $135,000 for individual filers and between $250,000 and $260,000 for joint filers.
For more information on this and other key tax provisions of the Recovery Act visit the official IRS Website at IRS.gov.
Links:
Sales Tax Deduction for Vehicle Purchases
YouTube Video: Vehicle Tax Deduction
Audio File for Podcast - ARRA Vehicle Tax Deduction: English | Spanish
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Information Center
Here are nine facts about the new vehicle sales and excise tax deduction. Read below for details.
Taxpayers who buy new motor vehicles this year may be entitled to a special tax deduction for the sales or excise taxes on those purchases when they file their 2009 federal tax returns next year. This tax break is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Taxpayers in states that do not have state sales taxes may be entitled to deduct other fees or taxes imposed by the state or local government.
Here are nine important facts the IRS wants you to know about the deduction.
1. State and local sales and excise taxes paid on up to $49,500 of the purchase price of each qualifying vehicle are deductible.
2. Qualified motor vehicles generally include new cars, light trucks, motor homes and motorcycles.
3. To qualify for the deduction, the new cars, light trucks and motorcycles must weigh 8,500 pounds or less. Motor homes are not subject to the weight limit.
4. Purchases must occur after Feb. 16, 2009, and before Jan. 1, 2010.
5. Taxpayers who purchase new motor vehicles in states that do not have state sales taxes may be entitled to deduct other fees or taxes assessed on the purchase of those vehicles. Fees or taxes that qualify must be based on the vehicles’ sales price or as a per unit fee. These states include Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon.
6. Taxpayers who purchase qualified motor vehicles may claim the deduction when they file their 2009 tax return in 2010.
7. The deduction may not be taken on 2008 tax returns.
8. This deduction can be taken regardless of whether the buyers itemize their deductions or choose the standard deduction. Taxpayers who do not itemize will add this additional amount to the standard deduction on their 2009 tax return.
9. The amount of the deduction is phased out for taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income is between $125,000 and $135,000 for individual filers and between $250,000 and $260,000 for joint filers.
For more information on this and other key tax provisions of the Recovery Act visit the official IRS Website at IRS.gov.
Links:
Sales Tax Deduction for Vehicle Purchases
YouTube Video: Vehicle Tax Deduction
Audio File for Podcast - ARRA Vehicle Tax Deduction: English | Spanish
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Information Center
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
There are a number of steps you might take by year-end to cut your 2009 tax bill, such as deferring income, accelerating deductions and capital gain planning.
Caution: If you expect to be subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT), you may want to accelerate income and delay deductions. The AMT is expected to impact many more taxpayers in 2009 due to the decrease in the exemption amounts. Please contact us for more information.
Deferring Income
If you are planning on selling an investment on which you have a gain, it may be best to wait until after the end of the year to defer payment of the taxes for another year (subject to estimated tax requirements).
If you are due a bonus at year-end, you may be able to defer receipt of these funds until January. This can defer the payment of taxes (other than the portion withheld) for another year. Deferral of tax generally won't work where the bonus is contractually due in 2009.
If your company grants stock options, it may be wise to wait until next year to exercise the option or sell stock acquired by exercise of an option. Exercise of the option is often but not always a taxable event; sale of the stock is almost always a taxable event.
If you're self employed, and can afford the delay in cash inflow, defer sending invoices or bills to clients or customers until the end of December.
Caution: Keep an eye on the estimated tax requirements.
Accelerating Deductions
Pay a state estimated tax installment in December instead of at the January due date. However, the payment should be based on a reasonable estimate of your state tax.
Pay your entire property tax bill, including installments due in year 2010, by year-end (not applicable to mortgage escrow accounts).
Try to bunch "threshold" expenses, such as medical expenses and miscellaneous itemized deductions. (Threshold expenses are deductible only to the extent they exceed a certain percentage of adjusted gross income.) By bunching these expenses into one year, rather than spreading them out over two years, you have a better chance of exceeding the thresholds, thereby maximizing your deduction. For example, you might pay medical bills and dues and subscriptions in whichever year they would do you the most tax good.
Caution: In most cases, credit cards charges are considered paid in the year of the charge regardless of when you pay on the card. This, however, does not apply to store revolving credit cards. If you charge expenses on a Wal-Mart store credit card, the deduction can not be claimed until the bill is paid.
In the case of tax benefits that are phased out if you have more than a certain level of adjusted gross income (AGI), a strategy of deferring income and accelerating deductions may also allow you to claim larger deductions, credits, and other tax breaks for 2009. The latter benefits include Roth IRA contributions, conversions of regular IRAs to Roth IRAs, child credits, higher education tax credits and deductions for student loan interest.
Tip: Deferring income into 2010 is an especially good idea for taxpayers who anticipate being in a lower tax bracket next year, generally because of much-reduced income or much-increased deductible expenses.
Tip: It may pay to accelerate income into 2009 if your marginal tax rate is much lower this year than it will be next year.
Tip: If you have a sum of income coming in that is not covered by withholding taxes, increasing your withholding before year-end can avoid or reduce any estimated tax penalty that might otherwise be due.
On the other hand, the penalty could be avoided by covering the extra tax in your final estimated tax payment and computing the penalty using the annualized income method. Call us for additional support regarding estimated taxes.
Caution: Alternative Minimum Tax no longer just impacts the wealthy! Do not overlook the effect of any year-end planning moves on the alternative minimum tax (AMT) for 2009.
Due to recent tax policy, the AMT will impact many more taxpayers than ever before due to the reduction in the exemption amounts. The problem is that the tax is not indexed to inflation, and, as a result, growing numbers of middle-income taxpayers have been finding themselves subject to this higher tax.
Items that may affect the AMT include the deductions for state property taxes and state income taxes, miscellaneous itemized deductions, and personal exemptions. Please call us for more information.
Note: AMT Exemption Amounts For 2009
$46,700 for single and head of household fliers;
$70,950 for married people filing jointly and for qualifying widows or widowers, and
$35,475 for married people filing separately.
Caution: If you expect to be subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT), you may want to accelerate income and delay deductions. The AMT is expected to impact many more taxpayers in 2009 due to the decrease in the exemption amounts. Please contact us for more information.
Deferring Income
If you are planning on selling an investment on which you have a gain, it may be best to wait until after the end of the year to defer payment of the taxes for another year (subject to estimated tax requirements).
If you are due a bonus at year-end, you may be able to defer receipt of these funds until January. This can defer the payment of taxes (other than the portion withheld) for another year. Deferral of tax generally won't work where the bonus is contractually due in 2009.
If your company grants stock options, it may be wise to wait until next year to exercise the option or sell stock acquired by exercise of an option. Exercise of the option is often but not always a taxable event; sale of the stock is almost always a taxable event.
If you're self employed, and can afford the delay in cash inflow, defer sending invoices or bills to clients or customers until the end of December.
Caution: Keep an eye on the estimated tax requirements.
Accelerating Deductions
Pay a state estimated tax installment in December instead of at the January due date. However, the payment should be based on a reasonable estimate of your state tax.
Pay your entire property tax bill, including installments due in year 2010, by year-end (not applicable to mortgage escrow accounts).
Try to bunch "threshold" expenses, such as medical expenses and miscellaneous itemized deductions. (Threshold expenses are deductible only to the extent they exceed a certain percentage of adjusted gross income.) By bunching these expenses into one year, rather than spreading them out over two years, you have a better chance of exceeding the thresholds, thereby maximizing your deduction. For example, you might pay medical bills and dues and subscriptions in whichever year they would do you the most tax good.
Caution: In most cases, credit cards charges are considered paid in the year of the charge regardless of when you pay on the card. This, however, does not apply to store revolving credit cards. If you charge expenses on a Wal-Mart store credit card, the deduction can not be claimed until the bill is paid.
In the case of tax benefits that are phased out if you have more than a certain level of adjusted gross income (AGI), a strategy of deferring income and accelerating deductions may also allow you to claim larger deductions, credits, and other tax breaks for 2009. The latter benefits include Roth IRA contributions, conversions of regular IRAs to Roth IRAs, child credits, higher education tax credits and deductions for student loan interest.
Tip: Deferring income into 2010 is an especially good idea for taxpayers who anticipate being in a lower tax bracket next year, generally because of much-reduced income or much-increased deductible expenses.
Tip: It may pay to accelerate income into 2009 if your marginal tax rate is much lower this year than it will be next year.
Tip: If you have a sum of income coming in that is not covered by withholding taxes, increasing your withholding before year-end can avoid or reduce any estimated tax penalty that might otherwise be due.
On the other hand, the penalty could be avoided by covering the extra tax in your final estimated tax payment and computing the penalty using the annualized income method. Call us for additional support regarding estimated taxes.
Caution: Alternative Minimum Tax no longer just impacts the wealthy! Do not overlook the effect of any year-end planning moves on the alternative minimum tax (AMT) for 2009.
Due to recent tax policy, the AMT will impact many more taxpayers than ever before due to the reduction in the exemption amounts. The problem is that the tax is not indexed to inflation, and, as a result, growing numbers of middle-income taxpayers have been finding themselves subject to this higher tax.
Items that may affect the AMT include the deductions for state property taxes and state income taxes, miscellaneous itemized deductions, and personal exemptions. Please call us for more information.
Note: AMT Exemption Amounts For 2009
$46,700 for single and head of household fliers;
$70,950 for married people filing jointly and for qualifying widows or widowers, and
$35,475 for married people filing separately.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Employee vs. Independent Contractor
Below is an article that offers good tips for the small business owner.
Employee vs. Independent Contractor – Ten Tips for Business Owners
If you are a small business owner, whether you hire people as independent contractors or as employees will impact how much taxes you pay and the amount of taxes you withhold from their paychecks. Additionally, it will affect how much additional cost your business must bear, what documents and information they must provide to you, and what tax documents you must give to them.
Here are the top ten things every business owner should know about hiring people as independent contractors versus hiring them as employees.
1. Three characteristics are used by the IRS to determine the relationship between businesses and workers: Behavioral Control, Financial Control, and the Type of Relationship.
2. Behavioral Control covers facts that show whether the business has a right to direct or control how the work is done through instructions, training or other means.
3. Financial Control covers facts that show whether the business has a right to direct or control the financial and business aspects of the worker's job.
4. The Type of Relationship factor relates to how the workers and the business owner perceive their relationship.
5. If you have the right to control or direct not only what is to be done, but also how it is to be done, then your workers are most likely employees.
6. If you can direct or control only the result of the work done -- and not the means and methods of accomplishing the result -- then your workers are probably independent contractors.
7. Employers who misclassify workers as independent contractors can end up with substantial tax bills. Additionally, they can face penalties for failing to pay employment taxes and for failing to file required tax forms.
8. Workers can avoid higher tax bills and lost benefits if they know their proper status.
9. Both employers and workers can ask the IRS to make a determination on whether a specific individual is an independent contractor or an employee by filing a Form SS-8 – Determination of Worker Status for Purposes of Federal Employment Taxes and Income Tax Withholding – with the IRS.
10. You can learn more about the critical determination of a worker’s status as an Independent Contractor or Employee at IRS.gov by selecting the Small Business link. Additional resources include IRS Publication 15-A, Employer's Supplemental Tax Guide, Publication 1779, Independent Contractor or Employee, and Publication 1976, Do You Qualify for Relief under Section 530? These publications and Form SS-8 are available on the IRS Web site or by calling the IRS at 800-829-3676 (800-TAX-FORM).
Links:
Contractor vs. Employee
Publication 1779
Publication 15-A
As always, please don't hesitate to call us if we can assist you in any way.
Employee vs. Independent Contractor – Ten Tips for Business Owners
If you are a small business owner, whether you hire people as independent contractors or as employees will impact how much taxes you pay and the amount of taxes you withhold from their paychecks. Additionally, it will affect how much additional cost your business must bear, what documents and information they must provide to you, and what tax documents you must give to them.
Here are the top ten things every business owner should know about hiring people as independent contractors versus hiring them as employees.
1. Three characteristics are used by the IRS to determine the relationship between businesses and workers: Behavioral Control, Financial Control, and the Type of Relationship.
2. Behavioral Control covers facts that show whether the business has a right to direct or control how the work is done through instructions, training or other means.
3. Financial Control covers facts that show whether the business has a right to direct or control the financial and business aspects of the worker's job.
4. The Type of Relationship factor relates to how the workers and the business owner perceive their relationship.
5. If you have the right to control or direct not only what is to be done, but also how it is to be done, then your workers are most likely employees.
6. If you can direct or control only the result of the work done -- and not the means and methods of accomplishing the result -- then your workers are probably independent contractors.
7. Employers who misclassify workers as independent contractors can end up with substantial tax bills. Additionally, they can face penalties for failing to pay employment taxes and for failing to file required tax forms.
8. Workers can avoid higher tax bills and lost benefits if they know their proper status.
9. Both employers and workers can ask the IRS to make a determination on whether a specific individual is an independent contractor or an employee by filing a Form SS-8 – Determination of Worker Status for Purposes of Federal Employment Taxes and Income Tax Withholding – with the IRS.
10. You can learn more about the critical determination of a worker’s status as an Independent Contractor or Employee at IRS.gov by selecting the Small Business link. Additional resources include IRS Publication 15-A, Employer's Supplemental Tax Guide, Publication 1779, Independent Contractor or Employee, and Publication 1976, Do You Qualify for Relief under Section 530? These publications and Form SS-8 are available on the IRS Web site or by calling the IRS at 800-829-3676 (800-TAX-FORM).
Links:
Contractor vs. Employee
Publication 1779
Publication 15-A
As always, please don't hesitate to call us if we can assist you in any way.
(636) 916-1010 or mike@favazzacpa.com
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
10 Tips for Business Owners
Hello!
Here are some great tips for small business owners.
If you are a small business owner, whether you hire people as independent contractors or as employees will impact how much taxes you pay and the amount of taxes you withhold from their paychecks.
Additionally, it will affect how much additional cost your business must bear, what documents and information they must provide to you, and what tax documents you must give to them.
Here are the top ten things every business owner should know about hiring people as independent contractors versus hiring them as employees.
1. Three characteristics are used by the IRS to determine the relationship between businesses and workers: Behavioral Control, Financial Control, and the Type of Relationship.
2. Behavioral Control covers facts that show whether the business has a right to direct or control how the work is done through instructions, training or other means.
3. Financial Control covers facts that show whether the business has a right to direct or control the financial and business aspects of the worker's job.
4. The Type of Relationship factor relates to how the workers and the business owner perceive their relationship.
5. If you have the right to control or direct not only what is to be done, but also how it is to be done, then your workers are most likely employees.
6. If you can direct or control only the result of the work done -- and not the means and methods of accomplishing the result -- then your workers are probably independent contractors.
7. Employers who misclassify workers as independent contractors can end up with substantial tax bills. Additionally, they can face penalties for failing to pay employment taxes and for failing to file required tax forms.
8. Workers can avoid higher tax bills and lost benefits if they know their proper status.
9. Both employers and workers can ask the IRS to make a determination on whether a specific individual is an independent contractor or an employee by filing a Form SS-8 – Determination of Worker Status for Purposes of Federal Employment Taxes and Income Tax Withholding – with the IRS.
10. You can learn more about the critical determination of a worker’s status as an Independent Contractor or Employee at IRS.gov by selecting the Small Business link. Additional resources include IRS Publication 15-A, Employer's Supplemental Tax Guide, Publication 1779, Independent Contractor or Employee, and Publication 1976, Do You Qualify for Relief under Section 530? These publications and Form SS-8 are available on the IRS Web site or by calling the IRS at 800-829-3676 (800-TAX-FORM).
Links:
Contractor vs. Employee
Publication 1779
Publication 15-A
As always, please don't hesitate to call us if we can assist you in any way.
Here are some great tips for small business owners.
If you are a small business owner, whether you hire people as independent contractors or as employees will impact how much taxes you pay and the amount of taxes you withhold from their paychecks.
Additionally, it will affect how much additional cost your business must bear, what documents and information they must provide to you, and what tax documents you must give to them.
Here are the top ten things every business owner should know about hiring people as independent contractors versus hiring them as employees.
1. Three characteristics are used by the IRS to determine the relationship between businesses and workers: Behavioral Control, Financial Control, and the Type of Relationship.
2. Behavioral Control covers facts that show whether the business has a right to direct or control how the work is done through instructions, training or other means.
3. Financial Control covers facts that show whether the business has a right to direct or control the financial and business aspects of the worker's job.
4. The Type of Relationship factor relates to how the workers and the business owner perceive their relationship.
5. If you have the right to control or direct not only what is to be done, but also how it is to be done, then your workers are most likely employees.
6. If you can direct or control only the result of the work done -- and not the means and methods of accomplishing the result -- then your workers are probably independent contractors.
7. Employers who misclassify workers as independent contractors can end up with substantial tax bills. Additionally, they can face penalties for failing to pay employment taxes and for failing to file required tax forms.
8. Workers can avoid higher tax bills and lost benefits if they know their proper status.
9. Both employers and workers can ask the IRS to make a determination on whether a specific individual is an independent contractor or an employee by filing a Form SS-8 – Determination of Worker Status for Purposes of Federal Employment Taxes and Income Tax Withholding – with the IRS.
10. You can learn more about the critical determination of a worker’s status as an Independent Contractor or Employee at IRS.gov by selecting the Small Business link. Additional resources include IRS Publication 15-A, Employer's Supplemental Tax Guide, Publication 1779, Independent Contractor or Employee, and Publication 1976, Do You Qualify for Relief under Section 530? These publications and Form SS-8 are available on the IRS Web site or by calling the IRS at 800-829-3676 (800-TAX-FORM).
Links:
Contractor vs. Employee
Publication 1779
Publication 15-A
As always, please don't hesitate to call us if we can assist you in any way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
