News

Accelerate your retirement savings with a cash balance plan

Accelerate your retirement savings with a cash balance plan Business owners may not be able to set aside as much as they’d like in tax-advantaged retirement plans. Typically, they’re older and more highly compensated than their employees, but restrictions on contributions to 401(k) and profit-sharing plans can hamper retirement-planning efforts. One solution may be a … Continued

International Tax Monthly – October Issue

Commercial Pilot Fails Tests for Foreign Earned Income Exclusion The U.S. Tax Court has held that a commercial airline pilot stationed in South Korea failed both the “tax home” and the “bona fide residence” tests that determine whether a taxpayer qualifies for the foreign earned income exclusion. The pilot flew airplanes for Korean Air Lines … Continued

“Bunching” medical expenses will be a tax-smart strategy for many in 2017

“Bunching” medical expenses will be a tax-smart strategy for many in 2017 Various limits apply to most tax deductions, and one type of limit is a “floor,” which means expenses are deductible only if they exceed that floor (typically a specific percentage of your income). One example is the medical expense deduction. Because it can … Continued

Investors: Beware of the wash sale rule

Investors: Beware of the wash sale rule A tried-and-true tax-saving strategy for investors is to sell assets at a loss to offset gains that have been realized during the year. So if you’ve cashed in some big gains this year, consider looking for unrealized losses in your portfolio and selling those investments before year end … Continued

Why you should boost your 401(k) contribution rate between now and year end

One important step to both reducing taxes and saving for retirement is to contribute to a tax-advantaged retirement plan. If your employer offers a 401(k) plan, contributing to that is likely your best first step. If you’re not already contributing the maximum allowed, consider increasing your contribution rate between now and year end. Because of … Continued

Help from the IRS for Hurricane Irma Victims

Hurricane Irma has left many victims in parts of Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands and other areas unable to fulfill their tax responsibilities and perform some key tax-related responsibilities. In response, the IRS is offering Hurricane Irma victims extra time to complete these tasks. Affected individuals now have until January 31, 2018, to file certain … Continued

Inadequate Records Lead to Unfavorable Results for Taxpayers

Federal tax law allows deductions for many items, such as legitimate business expenses and charitable donations. But, if you claim deductions on your tax return, you also must maintain adequate records to support them. If your tax return is audited, missing or incomplete records could lead to additional taxes, interest and penalties, as these three … Continued

Report Warns Retirees about Potential Downsides of Reverse Mortgages

Reverse mortgages have been around for years. But they’re getting a new spin: Some senior homeowners are tapping into their home equity to “bridge the gap” until the time they’re ready to apply for Social Security benefits. However, an independent consumer agency — the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — is cautioning retirees against using … Continued

2017 Q4 tax calendar: Key deadlines for businesses and other employers

2017 Q4 tax calendar: Key deadlines for businesses and other employers Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the fourth quarter of 2017. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all … Continued

Real Estate Investors: Let’s Talk about Like-Kind Exchanges

Are you thinking about divesting a real estate investment and then replacing it with another property? If you sell appreciated property outright, you’ll incur a taxable gain, which lowers the amount available to spend on the replacement property. But you may be able to defer your tax bill (or even make it disappear) with a … Continued