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SECURE 2.0 Act Update
August 31, 2023
On August 25, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published Notice 2023-62 to provide guidance on the SECURE 2.0 Act requirement related to Roth catch-up contributions for high earners. This guidance provides for a two-year administrative transition period that will delay the implementation date of the provision in the SECURE 2.0 Act that requires age 50 catch-up contributions to be made on a Roth basis for individuals earning over $145,000 in prior year wages. The provision was initially
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Divorcing business owners should pay attention to the tax consequences
August 30, 2023
Categories: #hh, Business, GiftTax, Tax Free
If you’re getting a divorce, you know the process is generally filled with stress. But if you’re a business owner, tax issues can complicate matters even more. Your business ownership interest is one of your biggest personal assets and in many cases, your marital property will include all or part of it. Transferring property tax-free In general, you can divide most assets, including cash and business ownership interests, between you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse without any federal
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The tax consequences of employer-provided life insurance
August 22, 2023
Categories: insurance, IRS, W-2
If your employer provides life insurance, you probably find it to be a desirable fringe benefit. However, if group term life insurance is part of your benefits package, and the coverage is higher than $50,000, there may be undesirable income tax implications. You’re taxed on income you didn’t receive The first $50,000 of group term life insurance coverage that your employer provides is excluded from taxable income and doesn’t add anything to your income tax bill. But the employer-paid
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Disabled family members may be able to benefit from ABLE accounts
August 15, 2023
Categories: #hh, Disability, Secure2.0
If you have family members with disabilities, there may be a tax-advantaged way to save for their needs — without having them lose eligibility for the government benefits to which they’re entitled. It can be done though an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account, which is a tax-free account that can be used for disability-related expenses. The SECURE 2.0 law made changes that will allow more people to be eligible for these accounts, beginning in 2026. Eligibility rules ABLE
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Planning ahead for 2024: Should your 401(k) help employees with emergencies?
August 14, 2023
Categories: #hh, 401(k), IRS, Secure2.0
The SECURE 2.0 law, which was enacted last year, contains wide-ranging changes to retirement plans. One provision in the law is that eligible employers will soon be able to provide more help to staff members facing emergencies. This will be done through what the law calls “pension-linked emergency savings accounts.” Effective for plan years beginning January 1, 2024, SECURE 2.0 permits a plan sponsor to amend its 401(k), 403(b) or government 457(b) plan to offer emergency savings accounts
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Receive more than $10,000 in cash at your business? Here’s what you must do
August 8, 2023
Categories: #hh, Business, General, IRS, Tax
Does your business receive large amounts of cash or cash equivalents? If so, you’re generally required to report these transactions to the IRS — and not just on your tax return. The requirements Each person who, in the course of operating a trade or business, receives more than $10,000 in cash in one transaction (or two or more related transactions), must file Form 8300. Who is a “person”? It can be an individual, company, corporation, partnership, association, trust
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The advantages of using an LLC for your small business
August 1, 2023
Categories: #hh, Business, LLC, Tax
If you operate your small business as a sole proprietorship, you may have thought about forming a limited liability company (LLC) to protect your assets. Or maybe you’re launching a new business and want to know your options for setting it up. Here are the basics of operating as an LLC and why it might be a good choice for your business. An LLC is a bit of a hybrid entity because it can be structured to resemble a corporation for owner liability purposes and a partnership for federal tax
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Moving Mom or Dad into a nursing home? 5 potential tax implications
July 25, 2023
More than a million Americans live in nursing homes, according to various reports. If you have a parent entering one, you’re probably not thinking about taxes. But there may be tax consequences. Let’s take a look at five possible tax breaks. 1. Long-term medical care The costs of qualified long-term care, including nursing home care, are deductible as medical expenses to the extent they, along with other medical expenses, exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI). Qualified
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Use an S corporation to mitigate federal employment tax bills
July 10, 2023
Categories: #hh, Business, Tax
If you own an unincorporated small business, you probably don’t like the size of your self-employment (SE) tax bills. No wonder! For 2023, the SE tax is imposed at the painfully high rate of 15.3% on the first $160,200 of net SE income. This includes 12.4% for Social Security tax and 2.9% for Medicare tax. The $160,200 Social Security tax ceiling is up from the $147,000 ceiling for 2022, and it’s only going to get worse in future years, thanks to inflation. Above the Social Security
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That email or text from the IRS: It’s a scam!
July 6, 2023
Categories: #hh, Business, IRS, Tax
“Thousands of people have lost millions of dollars and their personal information to tax scams,” according to the IRS. The scams may come in through email, text messages, telephone calls or regular mail. Criminals regularly target both individuals and businesses and often prey on the elderly. Important: The IRS will never contact you by email, text or social media channels about a tax bill or refund. Most IRS contacts are first made through regular mail. So if you get a text message