irs - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

Deadline for Receiving First 2016 IRA Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Is April 1

Individuals who turned 70 1/2 in 2016, but opted to wait until 2017 to begin taking their RMD for 2016 must receive their 2016 RMD by 4/1/17, even though that date falls on a Saturday. IRS Pub. 590-B, Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), does not offer an alternative date, such as the following Monday, 4/3/17, to receive the distribution, so please keep that in mind. If you have any questions, please contact your Linkenheimer CPA.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:58+00:00March 3rd, 2017|ira, irs|0 Comments

Extended Deadline to Provide Small Employer QSEHRA Notice to Employees

The IRS has extended the period to provide an initial written notice to eligible employees regarding a Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement (QSEHRA) under IRC Sec. 9831(d). A QSEHRA is similar to a regular health reimbursement arrangement, but must meet other requirements and is exempt from the market reform penalty. QSEHRAs are available to employers with less than 50 full-time equivalent employees that don’t offer group health plans and can be used to reimburse an employee’s individual health insurance premiums as well as other medical expenses. Although the employer must furnish a written notice to its eligible employees at least 90 days before the beginning of a year for which the QSEHRA is provided, the IRS announced that initial notices aren’t required any earlier than 90 days following the issuance of further guidance from the IRS.

If you have any questions, please contact your Linkenheimer LLP CPA.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:58+00:00March 2nd, 2017|irs|0 Comments

New Tax Rules May Affect Your Business for Web

New laws and regulations could have an impact on how you manage your business or your tax planning. Below is a summary of important developments you should be aware of:

In a change from past rules, businesses must file all Forms W-2 and W-3 and some Forms 1099-MISC with the IRS and the Social Security Administration no later than Jan. 31 in the year following the one to which the forms relate. As a result, forms for 2016 activities must be filed by Jan. 31, 2017. Employees and vendors or independent consultants must still receive their forms by Jan. 31.
There are new due dates for returns for partnerships, C corporations and several other business returns. For calendar-year partnerships, the new filing date is March 15 and for C corporations, it’s April 15. The date for fiscal year C corporations is the 15th of the fourth month following the end of the corporation’s calendar year, which is good news. The CPA profession has long advocated for these changes because they’ll minimize tax season complications and delays and make it easier to ensure that tax returns are accurate and on time. Among other benefits, […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:00+00:00December 13th, 2016|irs|0 Comments

Don’t Fall for the IRS Scams Out There

Scammers, claiming to be IRS agents, threatening arrest and jail time if you don’t pay them immediately for overdue “balances” are on the rise. If you haven’t received a call yourself, chances are you will at some point or you know someone who has. and unfortunately, these scams will probably continue and increase over time. Now, it might be daunting to receive a phone call from John Smith at the IRS office, claiming the cops are on your way to your house to arrest you if you don’t make an immediate payment over the phone to them, but rest easy knowing that a) the IRS isn’t going to call you (they are old school), you’ll get a letter in the mail or maybe a fax, and b) they aren’t going to send you an email demanding payment (see https://www.irs.gov/uac/irs-and-security-summit-partners-warn-of-fake-tax-bill-emails ).

To read an interesting story about one person, who worked his way through the cycle of the IRS phone scams to get answers: http://www.vox.com/first-person/2016/10/18/13276464/irs-scam-phone-cartoon

See what the IRS has to say on the continuing issue of phone and email scams:

https://www.irs.gov/uac/newsroom/phone-scams-continue-to-be-a-serious-threat-remain-on-irs-dirty-dozen-list-of-tax-scams-for-the-2016-filing-season

Stay vigilant and if you ever have questions about an email or phone call you’ve received, feel free […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:02+00:00November 15th, 2016|irs|0 Comments

Real Estate Agent Not Permitted to Deduct Rental Losses

For our clients out there who are real estate agents and property owners: The taxpayer was a licensed real estate agent who owned rental properties. For 2006 and 2007, she deducted a total of $78,543 in rental losses. Upon audit, the IRS disallowed these losses because the taxpayer failed to show she materially participated in the rental activity. The taxpayer argued that her status as a real estate professional automatically rendered the losses nonpassive, regardless of material participation. The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit sided with the IRS, holding that although real estate professionals are not subject to the per se rule under IRC Sec. 469(c)(2) that rental losses are passive, they must still show material participation before deducting rental losses. Therefore, the taxpayer was not entitled to deduct the losses.

If you have any questions, please contact your Linkenheimer CPA.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:09+00:00August 19th, 2016|deduction, irs|0 Comments