Lisa Nason | TaxConnections

27 Feb 2020

The Secure Act: Setting Every Community Up For Retirement Enhancement Act

Congress passed new tax legislation around the holidays this past year. Called the SECURE Act, it stands for Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019. We have summarized a few of the more relevant changes you might need to know.

Required Minimum Distribution Relief for Retirement Plans

Before the SECURE Act, if you had money in a traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or an employer-sponsored retirement plan and were retired, you were required by law to start making withdrawals at age 70 ½. But for people who haven’t hit 70 ½ by the end of 2019, the SECURE Act pushes out the RMD start date for most situations until age 72. This change applies to RMD’s after December 31, 2019, if you turn 70 1/2 after that date.

Increased Savings Opportunities

The SECURE Act also increased retirement savings opportunities in a number of ways. Before this law, you couldn’t contribute to a tax-deductible IRA after 70 ½. But with the SECURE Act, you can. So, if you plan on working into your 70s, you can still put money into a deductible IRA. Those over 70 ½ in 2019 won’t be able to save in an IRA for this year. This law change means a couple over 70 ½ will be allowed to save to an IRA over $14,000 in 2020 if both spouses are contributing the maximum of $7,000 a year. This can help them receive a valuable tax deduction and save for the future.

Written by Lisa Nason | Posted in 529 Plans • SECURE ACT

06 Dec 2018

The Inflation Adjusted Thresholds For Various Tax Levels Announced

The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that the maximum earnings subject to the Social Security component of the FICA tax will increase from $128,400 to $132,900 for 2019. This means that for 2019, the maximum Social Security tax that employers and employees will each pay is $8,239.80 ($132,900 x 6.2%). A self-employed person with at least $132,900 in net self-employment earnings will pay $16,479.6 ($132,900 x 12.40%) for the Social Security part of the self-employment tax. The Medicare component remains 1.45% of all earnings, and individuals with earned income of more than $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing jointly, $125,000 for married filing separately) will pay an additional 0.9% in Medicare taxes.

Written by Lisa Nason | Posted in Inflation Adjusted Thresholds • Tax Threhholds For Inflation

09 Oct 2018

New Per-Diem Rates Go Into Effect – Reimburse Employees On Travel, Lodging, Meals

The new per-diem numbers are now out, effective October 1, 2018. These numbers are to be used for per-diem allowances paid to any employee on or after October 1, 2018, for travel away from home on or after that date. The new rates include those for the transportation industry; the rate for the incidental expenses; and the rates and list of high-cost localities for purposes of the high-low substantiation method.

Per diem rates are a fixed amount paid to employees to compensate for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses incurred when traveling on business rather than using actual expenses.

Written by Lisa Nason | Posted in Lisa Nason

13 Sep 2018

Simplifying Tax Compliance for Seniors

Lisa Nason - Simplify Tax Compliance For Seniors

According to Adam Smith’s Canons of Taxation, the tax compliance function in any society needs to be convenient. This has not always been the case for many seniors in the United States. Form 1040EZ, Income Tax Return for Single and Joint Filers With No Dependents, currently used by eligible taxpayers under age 65, is not available to older taxpayers. Seniors age 65 and older may also not find relief in filing Form 1040A, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, because of its $100,000 cap on taxable income and its prohibition on itemized deductions.

Written by Lisa Nason | Posted in Tax Compliance

05 Sep 2018

Benefit From These Tax Breaks For College Expenses

Lisa Nason- Benefit From Tax Breaks For College Expenses

If you’re a college student (or the parent of one), you should know about some key tax breaks that are available to you when you do your taxes. There are two tax credits for higher education. They’re targeted at different types of students, so it pays to know the differences.

American Opportunity Credit

This credit is for students who are earning their undergraduate degrees. The credit is specifically limited to those expenses incurred in the first four years of college. The credit is worth $2,500; the really good news is that $1,000 of that is refundable, meaning you could get that back as a refund even if you don’t owe any taxes. There’s an $80,000 income ceiling for single filers to qualify for the credit ($160,000 if you’re married filing jointly). If income is more than those amounts, the credit starts to decrease. The credit is available through the 2017 tax year.

Written by Lisa Nason | Posted in Tax Breaks For College Expenses

13 Jul 2018

IRS Clarifies Interest On Home Equity Loans Can Still Be Deductible

Lisa Nason, Interest On Home Equity Loans

In an Information Release, IRS has announced that in many cases, taxpayers can continue to deduct interest paid on home equity loans under the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Taxpayers may deduct interest on mortgage debt that is “acquisition debt.” Acquisition debt means debt that is: (1) secured by the taxpayer’s principal home and/or a second home, and (2) incurred in acquiring, constructing, or substantially improving the home. This rule hasn’t been changed by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Under pre-Tax Cuts and Jobs Act law, the maximum amount that was treated as acquisition debt for the purpose of deducting interest was $1 million ($500,000 for marrieds filing separately). Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017 and before Jan. 1, 2026, the limit on acquisition debt is reduced to $750,000 ($375,000 for a married taxpayer filing separately).

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017 and before Jan. 1, 2026, there is no longer a deduction for interest on “home equity debt.” The elimination of the deduction for interest on home equity debt applies regardless of when the home equity debt was incurred.

Written by Lisa Nason | Posted in Home Equity Loans Interest Deductions • TaxConnections

12 Jul 2018

New Supreme Court Ruling Could Affect Many Online Shoppers

The Supreme Court changed the landscape of online shopping Thursday, freeing state governments to compel retailers beyond their borders to collect sales-tax revenue from consumers and giving a boost to brick-and-mortar stores. With the boom in Internet commerce increasing exponentially, the court’s 5-to-4 decision could have an impact on millions of Americans almost immediately. For years, avoiding sales tax was a prime perk of online shopping.

States were the big winners at the Supreme Court. They previously were able to require only companies with a physical presence in their states to collect taxes, costing them an estimated $8 billion to $33 billion in uncollected taxes per year.

Written by Lisa Nason | Posted in Sales Tax Revenue • Supreme Court Ruling • TaxConnections

02 Jul 2018

Health Savings Accounts(HSAs) And High Deductible Health Plans(HDHPs)

The IRS issued the calendar year 2019 inflation-adjusted figures for the annual contribution limits for health savings accounts (HSAs) and the minimum deductible amounts and maximum out-of-pocket expense amounts for high-deductible health plans.

Under Sec. 223, individuals who participate in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) are permitted a deduction for contributions to HSAs set up to help pay their medical expenses. The contribution deduction limit is subject to an annual inflation adjustment.

For 2019, the annual limit on deductible contributions is $3,500 for individuals with self-only coverage (a $50 increase from 2018) and $7,000 for family coverage (a $100 increase from 2018).

Written by Lisa Nason | Posted in Health Savings Accounts • Health Savings Plans • High Deductible Health Plan

21 Jun 2018

Calculator To Determine If You Should Buy Or Lease A Car

TaxConnections Member Lisa Nason of Nason Accounting located in Greenville, South Carolina shares a valuable calculator that helps you determine whether you should buy or lease a car. Use this calculator to find out! It calculates your monthly payments and your total net cost. By comparing these amounts, you can determine which is the better value for you.

Prior to using this handy Lease Or Buy Car Calculator, you may appreciate knowing the following definitions:

Purchase Price

Total purchase price. Price should be after any manufacturer’s rebate.

Down Payment

Amount paid as a down payment, which for leases is often called a capital reduction.

Sales Tax Rate

Percentage sales tax to be charged on this purchase. Sales tax is included in each lease payment. Sales tax for buying is charged on the total sale amount.

Written by Lisa Nason | Posted in Buy Or Lease Automobile Calculator

20 Jun 2018

Self-Employment Tax Calculator (Tax Year 2018)

Use this calculator to estimate your self-employment taxes. Normally these taxes are withheld by your employer. However, if you are self-employed, operate a farm or are a church employee you may owe self-employment taxes. Please note that the self-employment tax is 12.4% for the FICA portion and 2.9% for Medicare.

Additional Medicare Tax

This calculator does not include any required amounts for the Additional Medicare Tax. This tax applies to a household and not an individual tax payer. Joint filers with over $250,000 in earned income, single filers with over $200,000 in earned income and married persons filing separately with over $125,000 in earned income will owe an additional 0.9% of the amount exceeding these thresholds. These thresholds are not index to inflation. This is paid only by the tax payer, there is no additional employer amount. This additional tax is calculated on your full tax return and while it is directly related to your earned income it is not calculated with your self-employment taxes.

Net Farm Income Or Loss

This is your net farm income or loss. This should include both the net farm profit or loss from Schedule F along with any income from farm partnerships. Please note that if your gross farm income is $2,400 or less and your net farm income is $1,733 or less there is a ‘Farm Optional Method’ for calculating income subject to self-employment taxes. If you qualify for this optional method it may produce a slightly lower income subject to self-employment taxes. This calculator assumes that you will not use the ‘Farm Optional Method’. For more information see IRS Schedule SE Part II, Optional Methods to Figure Net Earnings.

Written by Lisa Nason | Posted in Self- Employment Tax Calculator • TaxConnections

28 May 2018

IRS Clarifies Interest On Home Equity Loans Can Still Be Deductible

In an Information Release, IRS has announced that in many cases, taxpayers can continue to deduct interest paid on home equity loans under the recently enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Under pre-Tax Cuts and Jobs Act law, the maximum amount that was treated as acquisition debt for the purpose of deducting interest was $1 million ($500,000 for marrieds filing separately). Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017, and before Jan. 1, 2026, the limit on acquisition debt is reduced to $750,000 ($375,000 for a married taxpayer filing separately).

Written by Lisa Nason | Posted in Deductibles • Deductions • Home Equity Loan • IRS

24 May 2018

S Corporations vs. C Corporations In 2018

Many of you are wondering how the new tax rate changes will impact you. Obviously, we can’t answer that off the top of our heads as each person’s situation is different, and in many cases, experts are still trying to figure out how the changes will play out. One of the biggest changes is the corporate tax rate reduction to a maximum of 21% versus the maximum tax rate for individuals being around 37%.

The new tax legislation becomes effective January 1. That means many business owners are now considering whether to reorganize themselves as C corps.

Written by Lisa Nason | Posted in C-Corp • S-Corp