irs - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

New COVID-19 Law Makes Favorable Changes To “Qualified Improvement Property”

The law providing relief due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic contains a beneficial change in the tax rules for many improvements to interior parts of nonresidential buildings. This is referred to as qualified improvement property (QIP). You may recall that under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), any QIP placed in service after December 31, 2017 wasn’t considered to be eligible for 100% bonus depreciation. Therefore, the cost of QIP had to be deducted over a 39-year period rather than entirely in the year the QIP was placed in service. This was due to an inadvertent drafting mistake made by Congress.

But the error is now fixed. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. It now allows most businesses to claim 100% bonus depreciation for QIP, as long as certain other requirements are met. What’s also helpful is that the correction is retroactive and it goes back to apply to any QIP placed in service after December 31, 2017. Unfortunately, improvements related […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:05+00:00April 20th, 2020|business, irs, New Tax Laws, qualified small business|0 Comments

The History of April 15th and Tax Day

April 15 isn’t most Americans’ favorite day, and that’s because most years, it’s the official, federal tax deadline (for the first time in 65 years, tax day now falls on a different day, July 15, 2020) . Tax Day, as it’s called, has a long and interesting history in the States that goes all the way back to Abe Lincoln’s leadership. Federal income tax was introduced with the Revenue Act of 1861 to help fund the Civil War, and subsequently repealed, re-adopted, and held unconstitutional. The early taxes were based on assessments, not voluntary tax returns. Tax payment dates varied by act.

1861: The First Federal Income Tax

Abraham Lincoln, who was an American president from 1861 to 1865, proclaimed the first federal income tax his first year in office. 1861—particularly August 5—is the historical day that marks the future-changing decision. At the time, Lincoln announced a 3% tax rate for anyone who made over $800 a year (roughly $24,000 with today’s inflation). The decision was made to help fund the Union’s efforts during the civil war. Though we are still being taxed today, Lincoln’s tax system was repealed in 1871.

1894: Tariff Act of 1894 Rules […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:05+00:00April 15th, 2020|irs, Linkenheimer, New Tax Laws, tax deadlines|0 Comments

COVID-19: IRS Announces More Relief And Details

In the midst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Americans are focusing on their health and financial well-being. To help with the impact facing many people, the government has provided a range of relief. Here are some new announcements made by the IRS.

More deadlines extended

As you probably know, the IRS postponed the due dates for certain federal income tax payments — but not all of them. New guidance now expands on the filing and payment relief for individuals, estates, corporations and others.

Under IRS Notice 2020-23, nearly all tax payments and filings that would otherwise be due between April 1 and July 15, 2020, are now postponed to July 15, 2020. Most importantly, this would include any fiscal year tax returns due between those dates and any estimated tax payments due between those dates, such as the June 15 estimated tax payment deadline for individual taxpayers.

Economic Impact Payments for nonfilers

You have also likely heard about the cash payments the federal government is making to individuals under certain income thresholds. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act will provide an eligible individual with a cash payment equal to the sum of: $1,200 […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:07+00:00April 14th, 2020|irs, New Tax Laws, relief, tax deadlines|0 Comments

IRS Extends More Tax Deadlines To Cover Individuals, Trusts, Estates Corporations and Others

To help taxpayers, the Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service announced today that Notice 2020-23 extends additional key tax deadlines for individuals and businesses.

Last month, the IRS announced that taxpayers generally have until July 15, 2020, to file and pay federal income taxes originally due on April 15. No late-filing penalty, late-payment penalty or interest will be due.

Today’s notice expands this relief to additional returns, tax payments and other actions. As a result, the extensions generally now apply to all taxpayers that have a filing or payment deadline falling on or after April 1, 2020, and before July 15, 2020. Individuals, trusts, estates, corporations and other non-corporate tax filers qualify for the extra time. This means that anyone, including Americans who live and work abroad, can now wait until July 15 to file their 2019 federal income tax return and pay any tax due.

Extension of time to file beyond July 15

Individual taxpayers who need additional time to file beyond the July 15 deadline can request an extension to Oct. 15, 2020, by filing Form 4868 through their tax professional, tax software or using the Free File link on IRS.gov. […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:08+00:00April 9th, 2020|business, filing deadline, irs, tax deadlines|0 Comments

IRS Issues Warning About Coronavirus-Related Scams

The IRS warned taxpayers to watch out for emails, text messages, websites, and social media attempts related to the coronavirus that request money or personal information. Taxpayers should not click on links from emails that appear to come from the IRS. The IRS and its Criminal Investigation Division have seen a wave of new and evolving phishing schemes against taxpayers. In most cases, the IRS will deposit economic impact payments into the direct deposit account taxpayers previously provided on tax returns. Taxpayers who have previously filed but not provided direct deposit information to the IRS will be able to provide their banking information through a newly designed secure portal on www.irs.gov in mid-April. If the IRS does not have a taxpayer’s direct deposit information, a check will be mailed to the address on file. No one from the IRS will be reaching out to taxpayers by phone, email, mail, or in person asking for information to complete economic impact payments. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to your Linkenheimer CPA.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:10+00:00April 6th, 2020|irs|0 Comments