New Tax Laws - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

Many Tax Amounts Affecting Businesses Have Increased For 2021

A number of tax-related limits that affect businesses are annually indexed for inflation, and many have increased for 2021. Some stayed the same due to low inflation. And the deduction for business meals has doubled for this year after a new law was enacted at the end of 2020. Here’s a rundown of those that may be important to you and your business.

Social Security tax

The amount of employees’ earnings that are subject to Social Security tax is capped for 2021 at $142,800 (up from $137,700 for 2020).

Deductions

Section 179 expensing:
- Limit: $1.05 million (up from $1.04 million for 2020)
- Phaseout: $2.62 million (up from $2.59 million)
Income-based phase-out for certain limits on the Sec. 199A qualified business income deduction begins at:
- Married filing jointly: $329,800 (up from $326,600)
- Married filing separately: $164,925 (up from $163,300)
- Other filers: $164,900 (up from $163,300)

Business meals

Deduction for eligible business-related food and beverage expenses provided by a restaurant: 100% (up from 50%)

Retirement plans

Employee contributions to 401(k) plans: $19,500 (unchanged from 2020)
Catch-up contributions to 401(k) plans: $6,500 (unchanged)
Employee contributions to SIMPLEs: $13,500 (unchanged)
Catch-up contributions to SIMPLEs: $3,000 (unchanged)
Combined employer/employee contributions to defined contribution […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2021-02-08T19:13:12+00:00February 8th, 2021|business, New Tax Laws|0 Comments

Updates From the IRS- February 1st Deadline, Employee Retention Credit and More

February 1 deadline: Employers to issue and file wage statements; Businesses to provide Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC to recipients

By law, employers are required to file copies of their Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, and Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, with the Social Security Administration by January 31. However, since January 31 falls on a Sunday in 2021, the deadline is the next business day, Monday, February 1.

The IRS reminds businesses and other payors that the revised Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income, and the new Form 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation, must be furnished to most recipients by February 1, 2021.

Take advantage of the extended Employee Retention Credit

The Internal Revenue Service urges employers to take advantage of the newly-extended employee retention credit, designed to make it easier for businesses that, despite challenges posed by COVID-19, choose to keep their employees on the payroll.

Employers can withhold, make payments of deferred Social Security taxes from 2020

Read about IRS Notice 2021-11, which addresses how employers who elected to defer certain employees’ taxes […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2021-01-29T00:10:57+00:00January 29th, 2021|irs, New Tax Laws|0 Comments

Don’t Forget To Take Required Minimum Distributions This Year

If you have a traditional IRA or tax-deferred retirement plan account, you probably know that you must take required minimum distributions (RMDs) when you reach a certain age — or you’ll be penalized. The CARES Act, which passed last March, allowed people to skip taking these withdrawals in 2020 but now that we’re in 2021, RMDs must be taken again.

The basics

Once you attain age 72 (or age 70½ before 2020), you must begin taking RMDs from your traditional IRAs and certain retirement accounts, including 401(k) plans. In general, RMDs are calculated using life expectancy tables published by the IRS. If you don’t withdraw the minimum amount each year, you may have to pay a 50% penalty tax on what you should have taken out — but didn’t. (Roth IRAs don’t require withdrawals until after the death of the owner.)

You can always take out more than the required amount. In planning for distributions, your income needs must be weighed […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2021-01-26T21:10:11+00:00January 26th, 2021|cares act, covid-19, New Tax Laws, retirement|0 Comments

California Tax Update for January 20

A new federal form, Form 1099-NEC (nonemployee compensation), must also be filed in California. This form is for use by payors beginning with tax year 2020, to report payments of $600 or more to someone who isn’t their employee, paid to an individual, partnership, estate, or in some cases a corporation, for services or for fish purchases for cash, in the course of trade or business. The same form must also be filed on paper with the CA Franchise Tax Board, even if it was already filed with the IRS. For 2020, the due dates are Feb. 28, 2021, for paper and March 31, 2021, for electronic submissions. Contact your Linkenheimer CPA with questions or check here for more information: https://bit.ly/35jdC1H

By Linkenheimer LLP|2021-01-20T23:36:20+00:00January 20th, 2021|1099, New Tax Laws|0 Comments

PPP Loans Have Reopened: Let’s Review The Tax Consequences

The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) reopened the week of January 11. If you’re fortunate to get a PPP loan to help during the COVID-19 crisis (or you received one last year), you may wonder about the tax consequences.

Background on the loans

In March of 2020, the CARES Act became law. It authorized the SBA to make loans to qualified businesses under certain circumstances. The law established the PPP, which provided up to 24 weeks of cash-flow assistance through 100% federally guaranteed loans to eligible recipients. Taxpayers could apply to have the loans forgiven to the extent their proceeds were used to maintain payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic and to cover certain other expenses.

At the end of 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) was enacted to provide additional relief related to COVID-19. This law includes funding for more PPP loans, including a “second draw” for businesses that received a loan last year. It also allows businesses to claim a tax deduction for the ordinary and necessary expenses paid from the proceeds of PPP loans.

Second draw loans

The CAA permits certain smaller businesses who received a PPP loan and experienced […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2021-01-19T19:11:15+00:00January 19th, 2021|cares act, New Tax Laws, ppp, small business|0 Comments