401k - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

2 Tax Law Changes That May Affect Your Business’s 401(k) Plan

When you think about recent tax law changes and your business, you’re probably thinking about the new 20% pass-through deduction for qualified business income or the enhancements to depreciation-related breaks. Or you may be contemplating the reduction or elimination of certain business expense deductions. But there are also a couple of recent tax law changes that you need to be aware of if your business sponsors a 401(k) plan.

Plan loan repayment extension

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) gives a break to 401(k) plan participants with outstanding loan balances when they leave their employers. While plan sponsors aren’t required to allow loans, many do.

Before 2018, if an employee with an outstanding plan loan left the company sponsoring the plan, he or she would have to repay the loan (or contribute the outstanding balance to an IRA or his or her new employer’s plan) within 60 days to avoid having the loan balance deemed a taxable distribution (and be subject to a 10% early distribution penalty if the employee was under age 59½).

Under the TCJA, beginning in 2018, former employees in this situation have until their tax return filing due date — including […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2018-06-11T19:26:30+00:00June 11th, 2018|401k, business, New Tax Laws|0 Comments

Small Business Tax Credit for 401k Startup Costs

There is a $500 tax credit for companies who start up a 401k plan. The credit can be taken for three years, and can be started the year BEFORE the 401k plan begins.

Startup costs have always been a major hurdle to small businesses who what to start a 401k plan, but a provision of The Economic Growth and Tax Relief and Reconciliation Act (EGTRRA) now helps scale this barrier to employee saving opportunities. EGTRRA implemented a credit for employers to offset the startup cost and the cost of educating employees about the new plan.

For costs paid or incurred in tax years beginning after December 31, 2001, for retirement plans that first become effective after that date, you may be able to claim a tax credit for part of the ordinary and necessary costs of starting a SEP, SIMPLE, or qualified plan (including a 401k). The credit equals 50% of the cost to set up and administer the plan and educate employees about the plan, up to a maximum of $500 per year for each of the first three years of the plan. For plans that become effective after 2002, you can choose to start […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:28+00:00May 7th, 2015|401k|0 Comments

Year-end tax planning with checklists and tips

Year-end tax planning could be especially productive this year because timely action could nail down a host of tax breaks that won’t be around next year unless Congress acts to extend them, which, at the present time, looks doubtful. These include, for individuals: the option to deduct state and local sales and use taxes instead of state and local income taxes; the above-the-line deduction for qualified higher education expenses; and tax-free distributions by those age 70-1/2 or older from IRAs for charitable purposes. For businesses, tax breaks that are available through the end of this year but won’t be around next year unless Congress acts include: 50% bonus first-year depreciation for most new machinery, equipment and software; an extraordinarily high $500,000 expensing limitation; the research tax credit; and the 15-year write-off for qualified leasehold improvements, qualified restaurant buildings and improvements and qualified retail improvements.

High-income-earners have other factors to keep in mind when mapping out year-end plans. For the first time, they have to take into account the 3.8% tax surtax on unearned income and the additional 0.9% Medicare (hospital insurance, or HI) tax that applies to individuals receiving wages with respect to employment in excess of $200,000 ($250,000 for […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:47+00:00November 26th, 2013|3.8, 401k, agi, amt, best place to work, CPA, hsa, ira, medicare, mike musson, roth ira, Santa Rosa, tax, tax planning, year-end|0 Comments

Small Business and the IRS’ New 401(k) Rules Regarding Fees

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:58+00:00September 27th, 2012|401k, business, CPA, disclosure, irs, Linkenheimer, marketing fees, statements|0 Comments