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6 essential tips for small business payroll tax compliance
April 23, 2025
Categories: Payroll, Small business
Staying compliant with payroll tax laws is crucial for small businesses. Mistakes can lead to fines, strained employee relationships and even legal consequences. Below are six quick tips to help you stay on track. 1. Maintain organized records Accurate recordkeeping is the backbone of payroll tax compliance. Track the hours worked, wages paid and all taxes withheld. Organizing your documentation makes it easier to verify that you’re withholding and remitting the correct amounts. If you
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Turn a summer job into tax savings: Hire your child and reap the rewards
April 21, 2025
Categories: Small business
With summer fast approaching, you might be considering hiring young people at your small business. If your children are also looking to earn some extra money, why not put them on the payroll? This move can help you save on family income and payroll taxes, making it a win-win situation for everyone! Here are three tax benefits. 1. You can transfer business earnings Turn some of your high-taxed income into tax-free or low-taxed income by shifting some business earnings to a child as wages
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Small business strategy: A heavy vehicle plus a home office equals tax savings
January 17, 2025
Categories: Depreciation, Section 179, Small business, Vehicles
New and used “heavy” SUVs, pickups and vans placed in service in 2025 are potentially eligible for big first-year depreciation write-offs. One requirement is you must use the vehicle more than 50% for business. If your business usage is between 51% and 99%, you may be able to deduct that percentage of the cost in the first year. The write-off will reduce your federal income tax bill and your self-employment tax bill, if applicable. You might get a state tax income deduction too. Setting
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How can you build a golden nest egg if you’re self-employed?
October 29, 2024
Categories: Self Employment, SEP-IRA, Small business, solo 401(k)
If you own a small business with no employees (other than your spouse) and want to set up a retirement plan, consider a solo 401(k) plan. This is also an option for self-employed individuals or business owners who wish to upgrade from a SIMPLE IRA or Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan. A solo 401(k), also known as an individual 401(k), may offer advantages in terms of contributions, tax savings and investment options. These accounts are geared toward self-employed individuals, including sole
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Is your money-losing activity a hobby or a business?
October 16, 2024
Categories: Small business, TCJA
Let’s say you have an unincorporated sideline activity that you consider a business. Perhaps you offer photography services, create custom artwork or sell handmade items online. Will the IRS agree that your venture is a business, not a hobby? It’s an essential question for tax purposes. If the expenses from an activity exceed the revenues, you have a net loss. You may think you can deduct that loss on your personal federal income tax return with no questions asked. Not so fast! The
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Cash or accrual accounting: What’s best for tax purposes?
September 11, 2024
Categories: GAAP, Small business, TCJA
Your businesses may have a choice between using the cash or accrual method of accounting for tax purposes. The cash method often provides significant tax benefits for those that qualify. However, some businesses may be better off using the accrual method. Therefore, you need to evaluate the tax accounting method for your business to ensure that it’s the most beneficial approach. The current situation “Small businesses,” as defined by the tax code, are generally eligible to