California Employers: CalSavers Deadline is December 31, 2025
If you're a California employer with at least one W-2 employee and you don't already offer a qualified retirement plan, you're required to either register for CalSavers or claim an exemption by December 31, 2025. CalSavers is the state-sponsored IRA program that allows employees to save for retirement through payroll deductions. Alternatively, you can satisfy [...]
Individual Q4 Estimated Tax Payment Reminder: January 15, 2026 Deadline
If you make quarterly estimated tax payments, mark your calendar: the final due date is January 15, 2026, which applies to income earned in the fourth quarter of 2025. This applies to self-employment income, investment earnings, rental income, capital gains, and any other income not subject to regular withholding. Year-end surprises like bonuses, stock dividends, [...]
The Great Starbucks Gift Card Incident of 2025 (And Why Your Holiday Inbox is a Minefield)
Picture this: Thanksgiving week at an accounting firm. Everyone's wrapping up projects before the holiday, planning their Black Friday strategy, when suddenly—Christmas came early! A $25 Starbucks gift card lands in everyone's inbox. "How thoughtful!" they all said. "The firm really gets us!" Spoiler alert: The firm didn't send it. It was part of our [...]
How Will Taxes Affect Your Merger or Acquisition?
Whether you’re selling your business or acquiring another company, the tax consequences can have a major impact on the transaction’s success or failure. So if you’re thinking about a merger or acquisition, you need to consider the potential tax impact. Asset sale or stock sale? From a tax standpoint, a transaction can basically be structured [...]
New Deduction for QPP Can Save Significant Taxes for Manufacturers and Similar Businesses
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) allows 100% first-year depreciation for nonresidential real estate that’s classified as qualified production property (QPP). This new break is different from the first-year bonus depreciation that’s available for assets such as tangible property with a recovery period of 20 years or less and qualified improvement property with a [...]
Shift Income to Take Advantage of the 0% Long-Term Capital Gains Rate
Are you thinking about making financial gifts to loved ones? Would you also like to reduce your capital gains tax? If so, consider giving appreciated stock instead of cash. You might be able to eliminate all federal tax liability on the appreciation — or at least significantly reduce it. Leveraging lower rates Investors generally are subject to [...]