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IRS, Security Summit Partners Urge People to Watch Out for Bad Tax Advice on Social Media

The Internal Revenue Service and the Security Summit partners issued a consumer alert about the growing threat of bad tax advice on social media that continues to dupe people into filing inaccurate tax returns.

The IRS and the Security Summit partners are spotlighting the wildly inaccurate tax claims that continue building across social media. These scams take many different forms and make outlandish promises to inflate refunds.

“The growth of bad tax advice on social media continues to grow, luring unsuspecting taxpayers into filing bad tax returns,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “We urge people to do some research before falling for these scams. Finding a trusted tax professional or visiting IRS.gov is a better way to research a tax issue than relying on someone talking in their car or their kitchen about a non-existent tax hack.”

For years, members of the Security Summit – representing state tax agencies, tax professionals, tax software companies, and the financial industry – have worked to raise awareness about tax-related identity theft and related tax scams. To counter this growing threat of tax scams, many of the Summit members have joined together to launch a related group, the Coalition […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2024-12-17T19:16:41+00:00December 17th, 2024|irs, IT, Tech|0 Comments

Get Tax Breaks for Energy-Saving Purchases This Year Because They May Disappear

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), enacted in 2022, created several tax credits aimed at promoting clean energy. You may want to take advantage of them before it’s too late.

On the campaign trail, President-Elect Donald Trump pledged to “terminate” the law and “rescind all unspent funds.” Rescinding all or part of the law would require action from Congress and is possible when Republicans take control of both chambers in January. The credits weren’t scheduled to expire for many years, but they may be repealed in 2025 with the changes in Washington.

If you’ve been thinking about making any of the following eligible purchases, you may want to do it before December 31.

1. Home energy efficiency improvements

Homeowners can benefit from several tax credits for making energy-efficient upgrades to their homes. These include:

Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit: This credit covers 30% of the cost of eligible home improvements, such as installing energy-efficient windows, doors, and insulation, up to a maximum of $1,200 this year. There’s also a credit of up to $2,000 for qualified heat pumps, water heaters, biomass stoves or biomass boilers.
Residential Clean Energy Credit: This credit is available for installing solar panels, wind turbines, […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2024-12-11T23:18:54+00:00December 11th, 2024|energy, tax credit|0 Comments

How Inflation Will Affect Your 2024 and 2025 Tax Bills

Inflation can have a significant impact on federal tax breaks. While recent inflation has come down since its peak in 2022, some tax amounts will still increase for 2025. The IRS recently announced next year’s inflation-adjusted amounts for several provisions.

Here are the highlights.

Standard deduction. What does an increased standard deduction mean for you? A larger standard deduction will shelter more income from federal income tax next year. For 2025, the standard deduction will increase to $15,000 for single taxpayers, $30,000 for married couples filing jointly and $22,500 for heads of household. This is up from the 2024 amounts of $14,600 for single taxpayers, $29,200 for married couples filing jointly and $21,900 for heads of household.

The highest tax rate. For 2025, the highest tax rate of 37% will affect single taxpayers and heads of households with income exceeding $626,350 ($751,600 for married taxpayers filing jointly). This is up from 2024, when the 37% rate affects single taxpayers and heads of households with income exceeding $609,350 ($731,200 for married couples filing jointly).

Retirement plans. Some retirement plan limits will increase for 2025. That means you may have an opportunity to save more for retirement if you […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2024-12-11T21:13:48+00:00December 11th, 2024|fsa, hsa, tax rate|0 Comments

Nationwide Injunction Halts Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting Requirements

A federal district court in Texas has issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of the beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). This decision, made in the case Texas Top Cop Shop v. Garland (December 3, 2024, U.S. Dist. Ct., Eastern District of Texas, Case No. 4:24-CV-478), has significant implications for businesses across the United States.

Background on the Corporate Transparency Act

The CTA, enacted to combat money laundering and enhance financial transparency, requires most U.S. corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), and similar entities to report beneficial ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Initially, this reporting requirement was due by January 1, 2025, with penalties for non-compliance.

Court Ruling

The court ruled that Congress exceeded its constitutional authority by enacting the CTA, stating that it infringed upon states’ rights to regulate business entities. As a result, the court issued a nationwide injunction prohibiting FinCEN from enforcing the reporting deadline.

The court’s opinion emphasized that the CTA overstepped federal authority, making it an unconstitutional directive. This ruling effectively halts the implementation of BOI reporting requirements until further notice.

Implications for Businesses

For now, businesses are not required to file […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2024-12-06T16:53:49+00:00December 6th, 2024|business, corporation, New Tax Laws, News|0 Comments

Giving Back: Linkenheimer LLP Volunteers with Redwood Gospel Mission

At Linkenheimer LLP, community is at the heart of everything we do. Last week, our team had the privilege of volunteering with the Redwood Gospel Mission at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, an event focused on providing support and care to those in need across our region.

From serving meals to assisting with event logistics, we joined forces with an incredible group of volunteers and staff to create a welcoming and supportive environment for members of our community facing hardship. Events like this highlight the strength and compassion of Sonoma County, reminding us of the power of collective action and connection.

Volunteering is not just about giving back—it’s about stepping into our community with open hearts, meeting people where they are, and embodying our firm’s core values of Approachability, Care, and Teamwork. We are proud to contribute to initiatives that align with these values and make a tangible difference in the lives of others.

We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Redwood Gospel Mission for organizing such a meaningful event and for their unwavering dedication to serving those in need. It was an honor to work alongside so many passionate individuals who share a […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2024-12-06T16:41:08+00:00December 6th, 2024|Community|0 Comments