Weekly Tax Brief

Answers to your questions about 2020 individual tax limits

Details: Published: 05 February 2020 05 February 2020

Right now, you may be more concerned about your 2019 tax bill than you are about your 2020 tax picture. That’s because your 2019 individual tax return is due to be filed in less than 3 months. However, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with tax amounts that may have changed. For example, for 2020, the amount you can put into a 401(k) plan has increased to $19,500 (from $19,000). You may want to start making contributions early in the year because they’ll lower your taxable income. Keep in mind that not all tax figures are adjusted for inflation and some amounts can only change with new tax legislation. Contact us if you have questions or need more information about your situation.

Can you deduct charitable gifts on your tax return?

Details: Published: 27 January 2020 27 January 2020

Many people who used to claim a tax break for making charitable contributions are no longer eligible. That’s because of some tax law changes that went into effect a couple years ago. You can only claim a deduction if you itemize deductions on your tax return and your itemized deductions exceed the standard deduction. Today’s much higher standard deduction combined with limits or suspensions on some common itemized deductions means you may no longer have enough itemized deductions to exceed the standard deduction. If you do meet the rules for itemizing, there are still other requirements to claim a charitable deduction. Contact us with questions.

Adopting a child? Bring home tax savings with your bundle of joy

Details: Published: 21 January 2020 21 January 2020

If you’re adopting a child, or you adopted one this year, there may be significant tax benefits available to offset the expenses. For 2019, adoptive parents may be able to claim a nonrefundable credit against their federal tax for up to $14,080 of “qualified adoption expenses” for each adopted child. (This amount is increasing to $14,300 for 2020.) The credit allowable for 2019 is phased out for taxpayers with adjusted gross income (AGI) of $211,160 ($214,520 for 2020). It is eliminated when AGI reaches $251,160 for 2019 ($254,520 for 2020). We can help ensure that you meet all the requirements to get the full benefit of the tax savings available to adoptive parents.

Help protect your personal information by filing your 2019 tax return early

Details: Published: 21 January 2020 21 January 2020

In these scams, a thief uses another person’s personal information to file a fraudulent return early in the filing season and claim a bogus refund. Then, when the legitimate taxpayer files, the IRS rejects the return because one with the same information has already been filed for the year. If you file first, any would-be fraudulent returns will be rejected by the IRS, rather than yours.

New rules will soon require employers to annually disclose retirement income to employees

Details: Published: 17 January 2020 17 January 2020

The recently enacted SECURE Act includes a new requirement for employers that sponsor tax-favored defined contribution retirement plans that are subject to ERISA. Specifically, the law will require that benefit statements sent to plan participants include a lifetime income disclosure at least once during any 12-month period. It will need to illustrate the monthly payments that an employee would receive if the total account balance were used to provide lifetime income streams, including a single life annuity and a qualified joint and survivor annuity for the participant and his or her surviving spouse. The requirement won’t go into effect until 12 months after the DOL issues a final rule.

Help protect your personal information by filing your 2019 tax return early

Details: Published: 14 January 2020 14 January 2020

The IRS is opening the 2019 individual income tax return filing season on Jan. 27. Even if you usually don’t file until closer to the April 15 deadline (or you file an extension), consider being an early-bird filer this year. It can potentially protect you from tax identity theft. In these scams, a thief uses another person’s personal information to file a fraudulent return early in the filing season and claim a bogus refund. Then, when the legitimate taxpayer files, the IRS rejects the return because one with the same information has already been filed for the year. If you file first, any would-be fraudulent returns will be rejected by the IRS, rather than yours.

New law helps businesses make their employees’ retirement secure

Details: Published: 10 January 2020 10 January 2020

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act) was recently signed into law as part of a larger spending bill. There are several provisions of interest to small businesses that have a retirement plan for employees or are thinking of adding one. For example, unrelated employers will be able to join together to create a retirement plan. Beginning in 2021, new rules will make it easier to create and maintain a multiple employer plan. In addition, there’s an increased tax credit for small employer retirement plan startup costs. And there’s a new small employer automatic plan enrollment credit. These are only some of the provisions in the law. Contact us to learn more.

Your home office expenses may be tax deductible

Details: Published: 06 January 2020 06 January 2020

Technology has made it easier to work from home. However, just because you have a home office doesn’t mean you can deduct expenses associated with it on your tax return. In order to be deductible, you must be self-employed and the space must be used regularly and exclusively for business purposes. If you qualify, there are two options for a deduction. You can deduct a portion of your mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance, utilities and certain other expenses, as well as the depreciation allocable to the office space. This requires calculating and substantiating actual expenses. Alternatively, you can take a “safe harbor” deduction. Other rules and limits apply. Contact us for details.

New law provides a variety of tax breaks to businesses and employers

Details: Published: 03 January 2020 03 January 2020

While you were celebrating the holidays, you may have missed a law that passed with a grab bag of provisions providing tax relief to businesses and employers. It makes many changes to the tax code, including an extension (generally through 2020) of provisions that were set to expire or already expired. For example, the law extended the employer tax credit for paid family and medical leave through 2020, as well as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for hiring individuals who are members of targeted groups. It also repealed the “Cadillac tax” on high-cost employer-sponsored health coverage. These are only a few provisions of the new law. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Congress gives a holiday gift in the form of favorable tax provisions

Details: Published: 31 December 2019 31 December 2019

As part of a year-end budget bill, Congress just passed a package of tax provisions that will provide savings for some taxpayers. It contains a variety of tax breaks. For example, the age limit for IRA contributions is being raised from age 70½ to 72. The age to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) is also going up from 70½ to 72. Most of the tax “extenders” have been reinstated through 2020. In addition, there is a package of retirement-related provisions, including new rules that allow some part-time employees to participate in 401(k) plans. These are only some of the provisions in the new law. Contact us with any questions.

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