A safe harbor is now available for taxpayers seeking to claim the section 199A deduction with respect to a “rental real estate enterprise.” What this means is that certain interests in rental real estate – including interests in mixed-use property – are allowed to be treated as a trade or business for purposes of the qualified business income deduction under section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code.
Tax Advantages of S-Corporations
As a small business owner, figuring out which form of business structure to use when you started was one of the most important decisions you had to make; however, it’s always a good idea to periodically revisit that decision as your business grows. For example, as a sole proprietor, you must pay a self-employment tax rate of 15% in addition to your individual tax rate; however, if you were to revise your business structure to become a corporation and elect S-Corporation status you could take advantage of a lower tax rate.
Employer Credit for Family and Medical Leave
Thanks to the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act last year, there’s a new tax benefit for employers: the employer credit for paid family and medical leave. As the name implies, employers may claim the credit based on wages paid to qualifying employees while they are on family and medical leave.
New Tax Rules for Divorce and Alimony Payments
With the divorce rate hovering just below 50 percent, divorce is a painful reality for many people both emotionally and financially. The last thing on anyone’s mind is the effect a divorce or separation will have on their tax situation. Furthermore, most court decisions do not take into account the effects divorce or separation has on your tax situation, which is why it’s always a good idea to speak to an accounting professional before anything is finalized.
Be Prepared When Natural Disasters Strike
While September and October are prime time for Atlantic hurricanes, natural disasters of any kind can strike at any time. As such, it’s a good idea for taxpayers to think about – and plan ahead for – what they can do to be prepared.
Here are four tips to help taxpayers be prepared:
Tax Preparation vs. Tax Planning
Many people assume tax planning and tax preparation are one and the same, but they aren’t. In fact, the two processes are actually quite different. Let’s take a look: