tax deductions - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

Vehicle-Expense Deduction Ins and Outs for Individual Taxpayers

It’s not just businesses that can deduct vehicle-related expenses. Individuals also can deduct them in certain circumstances. Unfortunately, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) might reduce your deduction compared to what you claimed on your 2017 return.

For 2017, miles driven for business, moving, medical and charitable purposes were potentially deductible. For 2018 through 2025, business and moving miles are deductible only in much more limited circumstances. TCJA changes could also affect your tax benefit from medical and charitable miles.

Current limits vs. 2017

Before 2018, if you were an employee, you potentially could deduct business mileage not reimbursed by your employer as a miscellaneous itemized deduction. But the deduction was subject to a 2% of adjusted gross income (AGI) floor, which meant that mileage was deductible only to the extent that your total miscellaneous itemized deductions for the year exceeded 2% of your AGI. For 2018 through 2025, you can’t deduct the mileage regardless of your AGI. Why? The TCJA suspends miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to the 2% floor.

If you’re self-employed, business mileage is deducted from self-employment income. Therefore, it’s not subject to the 2% floor and is still deductible for 2018 […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:14+00:00March 5th, 2019|deduction, deductions, individuals, mileage, New Tax Laws, tax deductions, tax planning|0 Comments

Business Tips for Back-To-School Time

Late summer and early fall, when so many families have members returning to educational facilities of all shapes and sizes, is also a good time for businesses to creatively step up their business development efforts, whether it’s launching new marketing initiatives, developing future employees or simply generating goodwill in the community. Here are a few examples that might inspire you.

Becoming a sponsor

A real estate agency sponsors a local middle school’s parent-teacher organization (PTO). The sponsorship includes ads in the school’s weekly e-newsletter and in welcome packets for new PTO members. Individual agents in the group also conduct monthly gift card drawings for parents and teachers who follow them on Facebook.

The agency hopes parents and teachers will remember its agents’ names and faces when they’re ready to buy or sell their homes.

Planting the seeds of STEM

An engineering firm donates old computers and printers to an […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2018-09-06T16:03:26+00:00September 6th, 2018|tax deductions|0 Comments

AMT Retained with Higher Exemption Amounts

The alternative minimum tax (AMT) is a tax system separate from the regular tax that is intended to prevent a taxpayer with substantial income from avoiding tax liability by using various exclusions, deductions, and credits.

Under it, AMT rates are applied to AMT income determined after the taxpayer “gives back” an assortment of tax benefits. If the tax determined under these calculations exceeds the regular tax, the larger amount is owed. In computing the AMT, only alternative minimum taxable income (AMTI) above an AMT exemption amount is taken into account. The AMT exemption amount is set by statute and adjusted annually for inflation, and the exemption amounts are phased out at higher income levels.

Under pre-Act law, for 2018, the exemption amounts were scheduled to be:

(i) $86,200 for marrieds filing jointly/surviving spouses;

(ii) $55,400 for other unmarried individuals;

(iii) 50% of the marrieds-filing-jointly amount for marrieds filing separately, i.e., $43,100;

And, those exemption amounts were reduced by an amount equal to 25% of the amount by which the individual’s AMTI exceeded:

(i) $164,100 for marrieds filing jointly and surviving spouses (phase-out complete at $508,900);

(ii) $123,100 for unmarried individuals (phase-out complete at $344,700); and

(iii) 50% of the marrieds-filing-jointly amount for marrieds filing separately, i.e., $82,050 (phase-out complete at […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:45+00:00January 12th, 2018|amt, New Tax Laws, tax deductions|0 Comments

Tax Savings Still Available for “Heavy” Trucks and Vans

As you know, unfavorable depreciation rules apply to most passenger autos and light trucks used in business. For a vehicle acquired in 2014, depreciation deductions are generally limited to the following amounts:

	Cars	Light Trucks and Vans
Year 1	$ 3,160	$ 3,460
Year 2	5,100	5,500
Year 3	3,050	3,350
Year 4 and thereafter	1,875	1,975

If the business use percentage is less than 100% (which is often the case), your deductions are even smaller. You must multiply the above numbers by the business percentage.

Exception for Certain Trucks and Vans. Certain trucks and vans qualify for much more favorable depreciation rules. The key here is finding a vehicle that is not considered a “passenger auto” under the tax rules. According to IRS regulations, a truck […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:42+00:00November 10th, 2014|tax deductions, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Here is a list of 10 deductions individual taxpayers may overlook

Now that all the 2011 tax deadlines have passed, it is a perfect time to start planning for the next tax season.

Here is a list of 10 deductions individual taxpayers may overlook provided by Bankrate.com:

Additional charitable gifts – everyone knows the donation itself is a deduction, but did you know certain expenses are deductible as well? For example, you could be reimbursed charitable miles at $0.14 per mile, the cost of any supplies bought for the group, and if a uniform is required, you could deduct the cost of that uniform and its cleaning bills.
Moving expenses – there are many moving expenses you can deduct when you relocate. For example, even your first relocation after college to start a new job is deductible.
Job hunting costs – costs related to searching for a new job in your current profession can be […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:05:57+00:00November 2nd, 2012|CPA, energy, Linkenheimer, moving expenses, retirement, Santa Rosa, savings, tax, tax deductions, taxpayers|0 Comments