The credit for increasing research activities often called the research and development (R&D) credit, is a valuable tax break available to certain eligible small businesses. Claiming the credit involves complex calculations, which we’ll take care of for you.
But in addition to the credit itself, be aware that two additional features are especially favorable to small businesses:
When launching a small business, many entrepreneurs start out as sole proprietors. If you’re launching a venture as a sole proprietorship, you need to understand the tax issues involved. Here are nine considerations:
By now, just about every company uses some accounting software to track, manage, and report its financial transactions. Many businesses end up using several different types of software to handle different accounting-related functions. Others either immediately or eventually opt for a comprehensive solution that addresses all their needs.
If your company has been in business for a while, you may not pay much attention to your payroll system so long as it’s running smoothly. But don’t get too complacent. Major payroll errors can pop up unexpectedly — creating massive disruptions costing time and money to fix and, perhaps worst of all, compromising the trust of your employees.
Choosing the right business entity has many implications, including the amount of your tax bill. The most common business structures are sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, C corporations, and S corporations.
Certain small business owners may qualify for tax breaks by making their premises accessible to people with disabilities. The CDC reports that 61 million people in the United States are affected by disabilities.
For businesses, sponsoring a health insurance plan for employees cost-effectively is an ongoing battle. In the broadest sense, you have two options: fully insured or self-funded.
A fully insured plan is simply one you buy from an insurer. Doing so limits your financial risk while offering the most predictable costs. The other option is what’s commonly known as “self-insurance.” Under this approach, your company funds and manages the plan, usually with the help of a third-party administrator.
There are several financial and legal implications when adding a new partner to a partnership. Here’s an example to illustrate: You and your partners are planning to admit a new partner. The new partner will acquire a one-third interest in the partnership by making a cash contribution to the business. Assume that your basis in your partnership interests is sufficient so that the decrease in your portions of the partnership’s liabilities because of the new partner’s entry won’t reduce your basis to zero.
Among the many challenges of parenthood is childcare for kids when school lets out. Babysitters are one option, or you might consider sending them to a day camp. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but if you do choose a day camp, you could be eligible for a tax break. (Unfortunately, overnight camps don’t qualify.)
For many homeowners, summer means it’s time to tackle home improvement projects. By investing in certain energy-efficient updates, taxpayers not only can lower their power bills but also can score some tax breaks.
