#hoganhansen

Are you starting a business with partners and deciding on the right entity? An S corporation might be the best choice for your new venture. One benefit of an S corporation One major advantage of an S corporation over a partnership is that shareholders aren’t personally liable for corporate debts. To ensure this protection, it’s crucial to: Adequately finance the corporation, Maintain the corporation as a separate entity, and Follow state-required formalities

As a business owner, you may be eligible to claim home office tax deductions that will reduce your taxable income. However, it’s crucial to understand the IRS rules to ensure compliance and avoid potential IRS audit risks. There are two methods for claiming this tax break: the actual expense method and the simplified method. Here are answers to frequently asked questions about the tax break. Who qualifies? In general, you qualify for home office deductions if part of your home is used

You may wonder if you can claim itemized deductions on your tax return. Perhaps you made charitable contributions and were told in the past they couldn’t be claimed because you didn’t have enough deductions to itemize. How much do you need? You can itemize deductions if the total of your allowable itemized write-offs for the year exceeds your standard deduction allowance for the year. Otherwise, you must claim the standard deduction. Here’s how we’ll determine if you can

If you made significant gifts to your children, grandchildren or other heirs last year, it’s important to determine whether you’re required to file a 2024 gift tax return. And in some cases, even if it’s not required to file one, you may want to do so anyway. Requirements to file The annual gift tax exclusion was $18,000 in 2024 (increased to $19,000 in 2025). Generally, you must file a gift tax return for 2024 if, during the tax year, you made gifts: That exceeded the

If an individual taxpayer has substantial business losses, unfavorable federal income tax rules can potentially come into play. Here’s what you need to know as you assess your 2024 tax situation. Disallowance rule The tax rules can get complicated if your business or rental activity throws off a tax loss — and many do during the early years. First, the passive activity loss (PAL) rules may apply if you aren’t very involved in the business or if it’s a rental activity.

The Child Tax Credit (CTC) has long been a valuable tax break for families with qualifying children. Whether you’re new to claiming the credit or you’ve benefited from it for years, it’s crucial to stay current on its rules and potential changes. As we approach the expiration of certain provisions within the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) at the end of 2025, here’s what you need to know about the CTC for 2024, 2025 and beyond. Current state of the credit Under the TCJA,

Chances are, you’re more concerned about your 2024 tax return right now than you are about your 2025 tax situation. That’s understandable because your 2024 individual tax return is due to be filed by April 15 (unless you file for an extension). However, it’s a good time to familiarize yourself with tax amounts that may have changed for 2025 due to inflation. Not all tax figures are adjusted annually for inflation, and some amounts only change when Congress passes new laws. In

Once you reach age 73, tax law requires you to begin taking withdrawals — called Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) — from your traditional IRA, SIMPLE IRA and SEP IRA. Since funds can’t stay in these accounts indefinitely, it’s important to understand the rules behind RMDs, which can be pretty complex. Below, we address some common questions to help you navigate this process. What are the tax implications if I want to withdraw money before retirement?  If you

Saving for retirement is a crucial financial goal and a 401(k) plan is one of the most effective tools for achieving it. If your employer offers a 401(k) or Roth 401(k), contributing as much as possible to the plan in 2025 is a smart way to build a considerable nest egg. If you’re not already contributing the maximum allowed, consider increasing your contribution in 2025. Because of tax-deferred compounding (tax-free in the case of Roth accounts), boosting contributions can have a significant

There are two tax breaks that help eligible parents offset the expenses of adopting a child. In 2025, adoptive parents may be able to claim a credit against their federal tax for up to $17,280 of “qualified adoption expenses” for each child. This is up from $16,810 in 2024. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction of tax. Also, adoptive parents may be able to exclude from an employee’s gross income up to $17,280 in 2025 ($16,810 in 2024) of qualified expenses paid by an