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Some People Are Required To Return Economic Impact Payments That Were Sent Erroneously

The IRS and the U.S. Treasury had disbursed 160.4 million Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) as of May 31, 2020, according to a new report. These are the payments being sent to eligible individuals in response to the economic threats caused by COVID-19. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports that $269.3 billion of EIPs have already been sent through a combination of electronic transfers to bank accounts, paper checks and prepaid debit cards.

Eligible individuals receive $1,200 or $2,400 for a married couple filing a joint return. Individuals may also receive up to an additional $500 for each qualifying child. Those with adjusted gross income over a threshold receive a reduced amount.

Deceased individuals

However, the IRS says some payments were sent erroneously and should be returned. For example, the tax agency says an EIP made to someone who died before receipt of the payment should be returned. Instructions for returning the payment can be found here:

By Linkenheimer LLP|June 30th, 2020|individuals, New Tax Laws|0 Comments

Haven’t Filed Your 2019 Business Tax Return Yet? There May Be Ways To Chip Away At Your Bill

The extended federal income tax deadline is coming up fast. As you know, the IRS postponed until July 15 the payment and filing deadlines that otherwise would have fallen on or after April 1, 2020, and before July 15.

Retroactive COVID-19 business relief

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which passed earlier in 2020, includes some retroactive tax relief for business taxpayers. The following four provisions may affect a still-unfiled tax return — or you may be able to take advantage of them on an amended return if you already filed.

Liberalized net operating losses (NOLs). The CARES Act allows a five-year carryback for a business NOL that arises in a tax year beginning in 2018 through 2020. Claiming 100% first-year bonus depreciation on an affected year’s return can potentially create or increase an NOL for that year. If so, the NOL can be carried back, and you can recover some […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|June 30th, 2020|business, deduction, deductions, New Tax Laws, qualified small business|0 Comments

SBA Reopens EIDL Program To Small Businesses And Nonprofits

Just last week, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that it has reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance program to eligible applicants still struggling with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The EIDL program offers long-term, low-interest loans to small businesses and nonprofits. If your company hasn’t been able to procure financing through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) — or even if it has — an EIDL may provide another avenue to relief.

Program overview

Applicants must be businesses with 500 or fewer employees, sole proprietors, independent contractors or certain other small entities. EIDL funds come directly from the SBA and provide working capital up to certain limits.

The loans have terms of up to 30 years and interest rates of 3.75% for businesses and 2.75% for nonprofits. The first payment is deferred for one year. Plus, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act has temporarily waived requirements that applicants must have been in business for one year before the crisis and be unable to obtain credit elsewhere. A borrower of $200,000 or less doesn’t need to provide a personal guarantee.

Recipients must use EIDL proceeds for working capital […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|June 25th, 2020|New Tax Laws|0 Comments

California Tax Updates for June 25

Update 1:

Many California businesses are downsizing or have closed permanently due to COVID-19. The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) has released a detailed set of steps needed to fully close a CA business entity, including links to resources from the CA Secretary of State and other state departments. The FTB highlights the need to close out tax accounts by filing delinquent returns and paying all balances due on taxes, filing a current annual or quarterly return as final, filing the appropriate closure forms with different state agencies, notifying employees and other stakeholders of the intent to close and dissolving all accounts associate with the business. For more: https://bit.ly/37e3cjI

Update 2:

Businesses that hold unclaimed property in California get extra time to file reports. Due to COVID-19, the CA State Controller (SCO) has postponed the due date for holders of such property, including unclaimed wages, to submit their Remit Reports and Remittances for properties reported on their […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|June 25th, 2020|business, ca, CA tax, ftb, New Tax Laws|0 Comments

What Qualifies As A “Coronavirus-Related Distribution” From A Retirement Plan?

As you may have heard, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act allows “qualified” people to take certain “coronavirus-related distributions” from their retirement plans without paying tax.

So how do you qualify? In other words, what’s a coronavirus-related distribution?

Early distribution basics

In general, if you withdraw money from an IRA or eligible retirement plan before you reach age 59½, you must pay a 10% early withdrawal tax. This is in addition to any tax you may owe on the income from the withdrawal. There are several exceptions to the general rule. For example, you don’t owe the additional 10% tax if you become totally and permanently disabled or if you use the money to pay qualified higher education costs or medical expenses

New exception

Under the CARES Act, you can take up to $100,000 in coronavirus-related distributions made from an eligible retirement plan between January 1 and December 30, 2020. These coronavirus-related distributions aren’t subject to the 10% additional tax that otherwise generally applies to distributions made before you reach age 59½.

What’s more, a coronavirus-related distribution can be included in income in installments over a three-year period, and you have three years to […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|June 23rd, 2020|ira, New Tax Laws, retirement, roth ira|0 Comments

California Tax Updates for June 12

Update1:

Business owners in some California counties may file their business property statements electronically, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CA State Board of Equalization (SBE) informed county assessors that they could choose to accept electronically filed business property statements, if assessors submit proper procedures to the SBE for approval. The SBE strongly encourages each County Assessor to accept electronic filing in light of Governor Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order issued March 19, 2020. Contact your Linkenheimer CPA with questions about filing in your county.

Update 2:

New sales and use tax changes take effect soon in California. Effective July 1, 2020, the tax rate changes apply only within indicated city limits, said the CA Dept. of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). The tax rates, tax codes and acronyms will be available to view and download on July 1, 2020, on the CDTFA website. Rates are organized into two categories: 1. District tax rate increasing, subdivided […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|June 12th, 2020|ca, CA tax, New Tax Laws|0 Comments

PPP Flexibility Act Eases Rules For Borrowers Coping With COVID-19

As you may recall, the Small Business Administration (SBA) launched the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) back in April to help companies reeling from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Created under a provision of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the PPP is available to U.S. businesses with fewer than 500 employees.

In its initial incarnation, the PPP offered eligible participants loans determined by eight weeks of previously established average payroll. If the recipient maintained its workforce, up to 100% of the loan was forgivable if the loan proceeds were used to cover payroll expenses, certain employee health care benefits, mortgage interest, rent, utilities and interest on any other existing debt during the “covered period” — that is, for eight weeks after loan origination.

On June 5, the president signed into law the PPP Flexibility Act. The new law makes a variety of important adjustments that ease the rules for borrowers. Highlights include:

Extension of covered period.

By Linkenheimer LLP|June 10th, 2020|business, New Tax Laws|0 Comments

Veterans In California Get Increased Exemptions

Veterans in California get increased exemptions. The CA State Board of Equalization (SBE) has announced increases in both the property exemption amounts and the household income limit for the disabled veterans’ exemption for 2021. For the 2021 assessment year the exemption amounts are $147,535 for the basic exemption, and $221,304 for the low-income exemption (these amounts for the 2020 assessment year are $143,273 and $214,910, respectively). Also, the household income limit for those claiming the low-income exemption is $66,251 (up from $64,337 for 2020). Contact your Linkenheimer CPA with questions.

By Linkenheimer LLP|June 3rd, 2020|New Tax Laws|0 Comments

Student Loan Interest: Can You Deduct It On Your Tax Return?

The economic impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is unprecedented and many taxpayers with student loans have been hard hit.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act contains some assistance to borrowers with federal student loans. Notably, federal loans were automatically placed in an administrative forbearance, which allows borrowers to temporarily stop making monthly payments. This payment suspension is scheduled to last until September 30, 2020.

Tax deduction rules

Despite the suspension, borrowers can still make payments if they choose. And borrowers in good standing made payments earlier in the year and will likely make them later in 2020. So can you deduct the student loan interest on your tax return?

The answer is yes, depending on your income and subject to certain limits. The maximum amount of student loan interest you can deduct each year is $2,500. The deduction is phased out if your adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds certain […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|May 27th, 2020|deduction, deductions, expensing, New Tax Laws, tax deductions, tax implications|0 Comments

IRS Releases 2021 Amounts For Health Savings Accounts

The IRS recently released the 2021 inflation-adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).

HSA basics

An HSA is a trust created or organized exclusively for the purpose of paying the “qualified medical expenses” of an “account beneficiary.” An HSA can only be established for the benefit of an “eligible individual” who is covered under a “high deductible health plan.” In addition, a participant can’t be enrolled in Medicare or have other health coverage (exceptions include dental, vision, long-term care, accident and specific disease insurance).

In general, a high deductible health plan (HDHP) is a plan that has an annual deductible that isn’t less than $1,000 for self-only coverage and $2,000 for family coverage. In addition, the sum of the annual deductible and other annual out-of-pocket expenses required to be paid under the plan for covered benefits (but not for premiums) cannot exceed $5,000 for self-only coverage, and $10,000 for family coverage.

Within specified dollar limits, an above-the-line tax deduction is allowed for an individual’s contribution to an HSA. This annual contribution limitation and the annual deductible and out-of-pocket expenses under the tax code are adjusted annually for inflation.

Inflation adjustments for 2021 contributions

In Revenue Procedure 2020-32, […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|May 27th, 2020|hsa, irs, New Tax Laws|0 Comments

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