Recipients of Paycheck Protection Loans (PPP) should be aware that when a taxpayer’s loan is forgiven based upon misrepresentations or omissions, they are not eligible to exclude the forgiveness from income. They must, instead, include in income the portion of the loan proceeds that were forgiven based upon misrepresentations or omissions.
Tips To Avoid Credit Card Debt This Holiday Season
Typically, credit card balances follow a seasonal pattern, increasing significantly in the fourth quarter and coinciding with holiday shopping. This year is no exception; unfortunately, it coincides with higher credit card interest rates. With more people than ever depending on credit cards to cover basic expenses due to inflation, this could lead to an ever-increasing debt load. In fact, credit card balances are approaching pre-pandemic levels, increasing by $38 billion (a 15 percent increase year-over-year) since the second quarter – the largest increase in more than 20 years (Federal Reserve Bank of New York).
Take Retirement Plan Distributions by December 31
For many years, IRS rules stated that taxpayers could not keep retirement funds in their retirement accounts indefinitely. They must start taking withdrawals from their IRA, SIMPLE IRA, SEP IRA, or retirement plan account when they reach age 70 1/2. These withdrawals are known as required minimum distributions or RMDs.
Advertising and Marketing Costs May Be Tax Deductible
As a small business owner, you may be able to deduct advertising and marketing expenses that help bring in new customers and keep existing ones. Even better is that these deductions help small businesses save money on their taxes. Here’s what you need to know about this valuable tax deduction:
Relief for Drought-Stricken Farmers and Ranchers
Farmers and ranchers forced to sell livestock because of drought conditions may have more time to replace their livestock and defer tax on any gains from the forced sales. If you are a farmer or rancher affected by drought conditions, here is what you need to know about this important tax relief extension.
There’s Still Time for Meal and Entertainment Tax Deductions
Business owners have until the end of 2022 to take advantage of the IRS Regulations on Meal & Entertainment Tax Deductions.
Year-end Tax Planning Strategies for Business Owners
Several end-of-year tax planning strategies are available to business owners to reduce their tax liability. Let’s take a look:
Eligible Families Can Claim Tax Benefits Until Nov. 17th
Starting in October, more than 9 million letters were sent out by the IRS to individuals and families who appear to qualify for a variety of key tax benefits – but did not claim them by filing a 2021 federal income tax return. Many in this group may be eligible to claim some or all of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC), the Child Tax Credit (CTC), the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and other tax credits depending on their personal and family situation. The letter provides a brief overview of each of these three credits. As a reminder, these and other tax benefits were expanded under last year’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and other recent legislation.
Watch Out for Natural Disaster Donation Scams
After a natural disaster, people often rally to help victims by donating money to charitable organizations that help disaster victims. Unfortunately, this can allow criminals to prey on them by soliciting donations from fake charities. As such, before donating to charity, people should ensure their money goes to a reputable organization.
Tips for Avoiding an IRS Tax Audit
Although the chances of taxpayers being audited have declined in recent years, with taxes becoming more complicated every year, there is always the possibility that a tax mistake turns into an IRS tax audit. Avoiding “red flags” like the ones listed below could help.