Category: articles

  • Making withdrawals from your closely held corporation that aren’t taxed as dividends

    Do you want to withdraw cash from your closely held corporation at a minimum tax cost? The simplest way is to distribute cash as a dividend. However, a dividend distribution isn’t tax-efficient since it’s taxable to you to the extent of your corporation’s “earnings and profits.” It’s also not deductible by the corporation. Five alternatives…

  • Walking a tightrope? ERM can help

    If risk wasn’t a nagging concern for nonprofits before the pandemic, it certainly is now. Health risks to staffers, volunteers and clients, and financial threats, including declining donations and increased incidence of fraud, now likely keep many executive directors up at night. But enterprise risk management (ERM) can help not-for-profit organizations find firmer ground. Here’s…

  • The Ins and Outs of IRAs

    Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs have been around for decades and the rules surrounding them have changed many times. What hasn’t changed is that they can help you save for retirement on a tax-favored basis. Here’s an overview. Traditional IRAs You can make an annual deductible contribution to a traditional IRA if: You (and your…

  • Did you give to charity in 2021? Make sure you have substantiation

    If you donated to charity last year, letters from the charities may have appeared in your mailbox recently acknowledging the donations. But what happens if you haven’t received such a letter — can you still claim a deduction for the gift on your 2021 income tax return? It depends. The requirements To prove a charitable…

  • New tax reporting requirements for payment apps could affect you

    If you run a business and accept payments through third-party networks such as Zelle, Venmo, Square or PayPal, you could be affected by new tax reporting requirements that take effect for 2022. They don’t alter your tax liability, but they could add to your recordkeeping burden, as well as the number of tax-related documents you…

  • The 2021 gift tax return deadline is almost here, too

    April 18, 2022, is the deadline for filing your federal income tax return. Keep in mind that the gift tax return deadline is on the very same date. So, if you made large gifts to family members or heirs last year, it’s important to determine whether you’re required to file Form 709. Filing requirements Generally,…

  • The donor-advised fund: A powerful vehicle for charitable giving

    If charitable giving is important to you, consider a donor-advised fund (DAF). A DAF — typically sponsored and managed by a community foundation or commercial investment company — offers many of the benefits of a private foundation at a fraction of the cost. Upsides of a DAF A DAF allows you to make tax-deductible contributions…

  • Let your financial statements guide you to optimal business decisions

    Now that 2022 is up and running, business owners can expect to face a few challenges and tough choices as the year rolls along. No matter how busy things get, don’t forget about an easily accessible and highly informative resource that’s probably just a few clicks away: your financial statements. Assuming you follow U.S. Generally…

  • 2022 deadlines for reporting health care coverage information

    Ever since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, business owners have had to keep a close eye on how many employees they’ve had on the payroll. This is because a company with 50 or more full-time employees or full-time equivalents on average during the previous year is considered an applicable large employer (ALE)…

  • Approach turnaround acquisitions with due care

    Economic changes wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with other factors, drove historic global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in 2021. Experts expect 2022 to be another busy year for dealmaking. In many cases, M&A opportunities arise when a business adversely affected by economic circumstances decides that getting acquired by another company is the optimal…