Can You Get Tax Help for Free?

There are dozens of reasons why you need assistance with your taxes, especially if you’re doing them yourself. If you’re one of the millions that prepare their own taxes online, the services offer help in the form of popup windows, but those can be even more confusing and you may want to speak with a real person that’s knowledgeable about your particular circumstances.

You should bear in mind that the IRS was overwhelmed with calls in 2020 and again in 2021. People waited for hours on the phone to have their questions answered. That situation is likely to continue in 2022 and beyond.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

VITA can be found online. You enter your zip code and the distance within which you want to find a volunteer. If you don’t find someone within your search criteria, keep expanding the distance. The online search will provide you with the name of the agency, it’s location and directions for contacting it. VITA help is available at a variety of locations ranging from colleges to community centers.

Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)

To qualify for TCE, you must meet certain criteria. You’ll need to be a senior citizen, disabled, earn moderate or less income, or not be able to speak English very well.

IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center

These are IRS offices where you can search for a location where you can make an appointment to speak with an IRS representative. However, these sites can be 50 miles or more away from your location.

Taxpayer Advocate Center

The service is an independent organization within the IRS. It can be a good resource for those with a financial hardship due to a tax situation, levy or lien.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program

Operated by the AARP for over 50 years, its focus is on those age 50 and older with a low to moderate income, though technically they offer help to any taxpayer.

MilTax Program

This is for current military personnel, a spouse or dependent child of someone in the military, or those who have served in the past. The organization offers help over the phone 24/7 and appointments can also be scheduled for MilTAX at a VITA office.

Local Services

Each year libraries and community centers in almost every town offers services provided by volunteers to help individuals with their tax-related questions. Some offer tax preparation seminars and workshops.

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Accounting
posted by Mark Battalini
January 8, 2022

The Difference Between LLC and INC

Many people are confused about how to list their business. Many think that one type provides more protection from lawsuits, when in fact, both offer protection against liability for business obligations.

LLC stands for limited liability company and Inc. is an indication that a business is a corporation. The difference between LLC and Inc. is the way in which each is owned, managed and taxed, along with reporting requirements and record-keeping methods.

Ownership

Owners of an LLC are called members instead of shareholders. Each member holds a specific percentage of the company called a membership interest. If an LLC wants to transfer shares/percentages, it’s more difficult. In some states, unless otherwise specified, if an LLC member leaves the organization, the LLC must be dissolved.

In contrast, a corporation issues shares of its stock to owners that are called shareholders. Transferring stock is a relatively simple process. If a stockholder leaves or sells their stock, it typically has little impact on the corporation’s future operations.

Taxation

The taxation structure in an LLC is flexible. If a single person owns the LLC, they’re taxed as a sole proprietorship. LLCs owned by multiple members are taxed as a partnership. An LLC can be taxed as a C or S corporation. The difference is that a C represents a business entity and the S is a tax classification used to protect assets from double taxation. Profits can be claimed on the owner’s individual tax return.

Corporations are taxed as C corporations by default, pay income taxes on corporate profits, and shareholders pay tax on dividends they receive. If the corporation chooses to be classified as a C corporation, stockholders avoid being double taxed and the corporation doesn’t pay corporate income taxes – providing it meets specific requirements.

Management

LLCs can be managed by its members or a managerial group. A corporation has a board of directors that makes rules, policies, and oversees the way its run. Officers manage day-to-day affairs and shareholders typically aren’t involved in the day-to-day operations.

Records and Reporting

An LLC has less formal record keeping requirements than corporations. They may be required to adhere to a standard of minimal record keeping and the entity doesn’t have to file annal reports. Corporations are required to hold an annual shareholder’s meeting and provide notice of the meeting. Minutes of the meeting must be kept and corporations may be required to file annal reports.

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Tax
posted by Mark Battalini
October 7, 2021

Best Ways to Reduce Taxable Income

There are a number of ways that even the average taxpayer can utilize to reduce their taxable income, thereby mitigating their tax burden. Those methods are also available to lower income earners of less than $100,000 per year. The following are just a few of the ways that people can use to lower their taxable income.

Charitable Donations

Taxpayers will need to itemize deductions to take advantage of the credit if they contribute more than $300 in cash or goods. Those with cash donations of $300 or less can also claim the deduction.

Earned Income Credit

Even individuals that aren’t required to pay taxes may qualify for the earned income tax credit (EITC) worth a maximum of $6,660, providing they meet income limits and other criteria. It’s available for single people with no children and married couples with 3 or more children.

Education

Higher education costs can net individuals a $2,500 per person tax credit. Adults that return to school or training can receive a $2,000 credit per year.

Health Care

A flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) sets aside a portion of earnings for out-of-pocket health care expenses and the money is untaxable. FSA contributions are limited to $2,750 per year and HSA contributions are capped at $3,600 per individual.

Home Business

Anyone operating a business from their home can claim a deduction for a portion of their home used as their office, equipment and supplies. The deduction can also be beneficial for individuals that have a side-hustle or are working in the gig economy.’

Military

Active military and military reserve personnel can deduct moving costs associated with a change of duty station.

Mortgage Insurance

Premiums to private mortgage insurance companies can be deducted if deductions are itemized.

Retirement Savings

Employer-sponsored retirement plans such as 401(k) and 403(b) can contribute up to $19,500 and people over 50 can make catch-up contributions. The contributions are made before taxes and don’t count toward taxable income. An IRA serves the same purpose for those that are self-employed, though the contribution amounts are different.

Self-Employment

People that are self-employed can deduct 50 percent of the amount paid from income taxes to compensate them for paying the full amount for Social Security and Medicare taxes. Itemizing deductions isn’t required.

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Tax
posted by Mark Battalini
August 4, 2021

Tax Liability – A Simple Tax Strategy

Knowing how to minimize your tax liabilities can help you avoid having to pay too much in taxes or using up too much of the tax season. Ways to minimize tax liabilities for your business include: Using an accountant or CPA. A certified public accountant will help you create a comprehensive year-end tax strategy, which can be used to reduce both your taxable income and your taxes. Accountants will also help you with tax-deductible expenses such as those related to buying equipment, selling assets, or increasing your tax deductible business expenses.

Create a Budget for Tax Liabilities Your budget should include a list of all your income, expenses, and assets. Divide income into your tax liability category in order of highest to lowest. Include your total annual expenses, including mortgage, insurance premiums, and property taxes. Add your investment earnings and include the total amount you pay to rent, repair or improve the house, and any other miscellaneous expenses. Do not include retirement contributions and interest income on retirement accounts or pensions.

Maximize your deductions When you are trying to minimize your tax bill, consider being audited by the government. Audits are designed to identify areas where business owners can make improvements to their business in order to minimize their tax liability. Some auditors will suggest that business owners meet with them before the audit to discuss their income taxes and assets.

Be sure to calculate a tax-free allowance If you don’t have enough taxable income to meet the asset limitation on your return, you may want to calculate a tax-free allowance. The tax-free allowance is the maximum amount of money that you can claim on your tax return for each taxable income class. For most people, the tax-free allowance is around 50% of their income. It is possible to increase this allowance over time, especially if you meet the eligibility requirements.

Estimate taxes payable annually One way to minimize your tax liabilities is to make an educated guess at how much you will owe. This method, though imperfect, will provide a ballpark figure for you. Many tax professionals will encourage you to make an annual estimate of taxes payable. Estimations are available from different sources such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, and your own payroll processor. If you don’t have access to these sources of information, there are many websites that offer free tax planning advice and tools.

All these steps will help you reduce your tax liability. Be prepared when tax season comes and do your homework. Educate yourself about income tax liabilities and strategies that could reduce your tax liability. You can always adjust your estimated tax liability for the current year when tax season arrives.

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Tax, Tax Preparation
posted by Mark Battalini
June 12, 2021

Why Hire a CPA For Your Taxes?

What is the reason to hire a CPA to handle your business taxes? CPA’s are highly experienced accountants who have gained valuable experience in the business world. It is a very valuable tool for business owners to hire a CPA because a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) can negotiate with the IRS on your behalf to get you better tax benefits.

Hiring a CPA can save you money and hassle. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is trained and experienced in all aspects of small business accounting and tax laws. The Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is the person most qualified to interpret the complicated IRS instructions and other federal and state tax laws. They will be able to properly prepare your tax returns and advise you on the best option for taking advantage of every tax deduction available to you.

Small business owners can hire a CPA to handle their taxes due in April, July and October. Most accountants are already familiar with the complex procedures required to file an income tax return with the IRS. The IRS also requires small businesses to retain an accountant to manage their accounting and bookkeeping. Even if you do not currently use the CPA for your accounting needs it is still a wise decision to hire one to file your taxes for you.

One of the many benefits to business owners who fail to hire a CPA is the potential financial backlash from paying incorrect taxes. In 2021 the Internal Revenue Service audited more than 500 business owners for tax liability. The majority of these tax liability audits resulted in the taxpayer owing a penalty or interest amount. The majority of business owners were not even aware they had incurred taxes.

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Tax, Tax Preparation
posted by Mark Battalini
February 14, 2021

Top 7 Small Business Tax Tips

Here are seven ways for owners of small businesses to save money on their taxes.

Incorporate Yourself: If you`re still a proprietor or partner of a business, it`s time to incorporate yourself. Not only will you limit your liability, but you may enjoy lower tax rates on small business income and other tax advantages as well.

Be Home Based: If possible, continue (or switch to) being a home based business. Not only will you keep your overhead down, but you will be able to write-off (or deduct) the business use of your home.

Income Split: Pay reasonable wages to your spouse and children. In this way, you can legally divert income taxed at your higher rate to your family members that are in a lower tax bracket.

Rearrange Your Affairs For Maximum Tax Savings: Can you make some changes to turn your hobby into a moneymaking business? Can you use that extra room in your house as a home office for your business? Can you arrange to use your car more for business purposes? Can you arrange for more of your entertainment expenses to be business-related?

Document Your Expenses Well: Do you document your expenses well so that they would survive a tax audit? Have you kept a mileage log so that you can prove the percentage of business use you claim for your vehicle? Have you kept receipts for all your entertainment expenses and listed the business purpose on the back of each receipt?

Be Punctual: File all returns and pay all taxes due (income, payroll, sales, et cetera) on time. This way, you avoid expensive late filing (and payment) penalties and interest.

Develop a Tax Planning Mindset: Some people only worry about their taxes during tax season. However, you will save a fortune in taxes, legally, if you make tax planning your year-round concern. Do you make business and personal purchases, investments, and other expenditures with tax savings in mind?

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Tax Preparation
posted by Mark Battalini
August 29, 2020

The Importance of Keeping Good Records

Every business owner knows the value of maintaining accurate records for tax purposes, but keeping good records also provides individuals with a measure of the health of their enterprise. It doesn’t matter if it’s a brick and mortar store or operated completely online through e-commerce, good record keeping is critical.

It’s recommended that individuals keep pertinent records for three years and that includes tax returns. Most business owners envision boxes and file cabinets full of paper documents and that can seem overwhelming. Welcoming the digital age and appropriate software programs into a business will eliminate the clutter and keep records immediately available should they be needed for any contingency.

Keeping good records provides business owners with the knowledge required to know if their endeavor is failing or flourishing. It also tells them which products are selling well, where their largest expenditures are, and any areas where changes may need to be made.

Business owners have a legal obligation to maintain full and accurate records about their enterprise. They’ll need those records if they’re audited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or asked to explain any items on their tax returns.

Maintaining detailed records enables individuals to prove income, deductible expenses for tax purposes, and make projections about their tax liability. Those records will also be utilized to prepare a variety of financial statements and balance sheets that will be essential when working with banks and creditors.

Good record keeping allows business owners to ascertain where the majority of purchases are originating, along with the reliability of the vendors with which they regularly conduct business. The receipts provide a record of who pays promptly and who doesn’t.

All of those records provide a health check on the business, allowing owners to make critical decisions about issues such as expansions, new product lines, vendors, and employees. Keeping good records is the key to operating any business more efficiently, effectively, and profitably.

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IRS Information, Tax
posted by Mark Battalini
August 29, 2020

Keeping your Business up to Date with Tax Laws

Tax laws change quickly and often with very little warning. It can seem like an impossibility to keep track of all the changes and utilize them to your business advantage. You have three choices when preparing your taxes – do them yourself, use tax preparation software, or have a professional do them.

No matter which option you choose, changes in tax laws will ultimately affect your business in some way. It’s much better to engage the services of a professional accountant than be surprised at tax time. It’s an accountant’s business to know about changes, inform clients, and help them develop a strategy to minimize tax liability.

Your business will need to remain legally compliant with all state laws – which will depend on where you live – along with federal tax laws. There will be different requirements, depending upon your business structure and you’ll need to ensure all certificates, licenses, and permits are current.

As a small business owner, you’ll be subject to a variety of different taxes unless you’re in a partnership – in which case you’ll be required to file an information return. You’ll be required to pay self-employment taxes and employment taxes on employees. Sole proprietors, S corporation shareholders, and partners will pay estimated taxes and you’ll need to have withheld a sufficient amount to meet tax liabilities.

There are also excise taxes, which can often seem very vague but cut across multiple industries. You’ll be liable for these if you operate certain types of businesses, sell specific products, offer certain types of services, or use specific types of equipment, facilities or products. Some classic examples are alcohol, fuel and tobacco, but the list is extensive.

Of special interest for business owners are changes for net operating losses, first-year depreciation, pass-throughs that include sole proprietorships, S corporations, and LLCs, and those that have significant operations overseas. Many individuals outsource their marketing and other functions when applicable through the gig economy and accounting for that can be a headache for you and the person that provided the services.

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Accounting
posted by Mark Battalini
July 31, 2020

Accounting Experts can Save your Business Money

Business owners mistakenly believe they’re saving money by attending to their accounting task themselves. What they’re actually doing is taking time away from their families and other business tasks such as planning for future growth. Hiring an accounting firm to care for your finances saves time, money, and enables you to focus on other priorities.

Business Planning

Professional accounting firms work with businesses at all stages of development – from startups to long-established endeavors. They have a wealth of experience they can utilize to help you advance your business to the next stage in its evolution and provide guidance on managing monetary growth. They can also assist if you need to make changes in its structure.

Informed Decisions

Your accountant will be able to advise you on multiple issues to help you make better informed decisions about your business. They can advise you on a variety of topics ranging from strategies to provide the best return on your investment to endeavors that are risky for your business.

Streamlining

A professional accountant can streamline your books, establish better bookkeeping practices, and “find” money you never even knew you had. You’ll know exactly where your money is going, how much, and discover ways to save your business money. A professional can also assist with strategic spending and saving money with vendors and others with which you regularly conduct business.

Tax Penalties

An accounting professional will be cognizant of all the current tax laws to save you money and avoid errors or omissions that lead to tax penalties. The firm’s professionals will know your business and meet all applicable deadlines, while minimizing taxes and maximizing benefits for greater profitability.

Exit Strategies

There will come a time when you decide to retire and an accounting firm can help you define the best time to exit or what you may need to do before selling the business.

Automobile Tax Expenses

The powers that be have historically written sections into the tax code promoting business activities. One of the traditional write-offs has always been the expenses associated with using a vehicle for business purposes.

The simplest automobile tax expense situation is one in which a vehicle is used entirely for business. For example, if you have a van used for a delivery service and nothing personal, all expenses associated with the van can be written off. This is known as the exclusive use situation. For many small businesses, however, a vehicle will be used for both personal and business reasons.

Where you use a vehicle for both personal and business reasons, you can only deduct the automobile expenses associated with the business use. Keep in mind that driving to and from work is not considered business mileage while driving from an office to meet a client is considered business mileage.

There are two methods for determining deductible automobile tax expenses. The first is a simple calculation known as the standard mileage deduction. The second is the actual expenses method. You can choose whichever deduction provides you with the biggest deduction unless you lease the car. With a lease, you must use the standard mileage deduction.

The standard mileage rate deduction is a calculation wherein you multiply your total business mileage for the year by a figure provided by the IRS. For the first eight months of 2005, the figure provided by the IRS is 40.5 cents per mile. For the last four months of 2005, the figure has been bumped up to 48.5 cents to reflect high gas prices.

The actual cost expense option is exactly what it sounds like. It is the actual cost associated with using the vehicle for tax purposes for a particular tax year. Automobile tax expenses will include gas, tires, repairs, oil changes, registration costs, licensing, insurance and so on. In many cases, the actual expense deduction will end up being larger than the standard mileage deduction.

Regardless of the method you choose, you must document the automobile tax expenses. This means keeping a mileage book and receipts of anything you intend to deduct.

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business tax preparation