irs - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

The Chances of an IRS Audit are Low, But Business Owners Should be Prepared

Many business owners ask: How can I avoid an IRS audit? The good news is that the odds against being audited are in your favor. In fiscal year 2018, the IRS audited approximately 0.6% of individuals. Businesses, large corporations and high-income individuals are more likely to be audited but, overall, audit rates are historically low.

There’s no 100% guarantee that you won’t be picked for an audit, because some tax returns are chosen randomly. However, completing your returns in a timely and accurate fashion with our firm certainly works in your favor. And it helps to know what might catch the attention of the IRS.

Audit red flags

A variety of tax-return entries may raise red flags with the IRS and may lead to an audit. Here are a few examples:

Significant inconsistencies between previous years’ filings and your most current filing,
Gross profit margin or expenses markedly different from those of other businesses in your industry, and
Miscalculated or unusually high deductions.

Certain types of deductions may be questioned by the IRS because there are strict record-keeping requirements for them • for example, auto and travel expense deductions. In addition, an owner-employee salary that’s inordinately higher or […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:36+00:00September 30th, 2019|audit, business, irs|0 Comments

Should You Elect S Corporation Status?

Operating a business as an S corporation may provide many advantages, including limited liability for owners and no double taxation (at least at the federal level). Self-employed people may also be able to lower their exposure to Social Security and Medicare taxes if they structure their businesses as S corps for federal tax purposes. But not all businesses are eligible — and with changes under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, S corps may not be as appealing as they once were.

Compare and contrast

The main reason why businesses elect S corp status is to obtain the limited liability of a corporation and the ability to pass corporate income, losses, deductions and credits through to shareholders. In other words, S corps generally avoid double taxation of corporate income — once at the corporate level and again when it’s distributed to shareholders. Instead, tax items pass through to the shareholders’ personal returns, and they pay tax at their individual income tax rates.

But double taxation may be less of a concern today due to the 21% flat income tax rate that now applies to C corporations. Meanwhile, the top individual income tax rate is […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:42+00:00August 27th, 2019|business, liability, New Tax Laws|0 Comments

What To Do If Your Business Receives a “No-Match” Letter

In the past few months, many businesses and employers nationwide have received “no-match” letters from the Social Security Administration (SSA). The purpose of these letters is to alert employers if there’s a discrepancy between the agency’s files and data reported on W-2 forms, which are given to employees and filed with the IRS. Specifically, they point out that an employee’s name and Social Security number (SSN) don’t match the government’s records.

According to the SSA, the purpose of the letters is to “advise employers that corrections are needed in order for us to properly post” employees’ earnings to the correct records. If a person’s earnings are missing, the worker may not qualify for all of the Social Security benefits he or she is entitled to, or the benefit received may be incorrect. The no-match letters began going out in the spring of 2019.

Why discrepancies occur

There are a number of reasons why names and SSNs don’t match. They include typographical errors when inputting numbers and name changes due to marriage or divorce. And, of course, employees could intentionally give the wrong information to employers, as is sometimes the case with undocumented workers.

Some lawmakers, […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:43+00:00August 19th, 2019|social security|0 Comments

The IRS is Targeting Business Transactions in Bitcoin and Other Virtual Currencies

Bitcoin and other forms of virtual currency are gaining popularity. But many businesses, consumers, employees and investors are still confused about how they work and how to report transactions on their federal tax returns. And the IRS just announced that it is targeting virtual currency users in a new “educational letter” campaign.

The nuts and bolts

Unlike cash or credit cards, small businesses generally don’t accept bitcoin payments for routine transactions. However, a growing number of larger retailers — and online businesses — now accept payments. Businesses can also pay employees or independent contractors with virtual currency. The trend is expected to continue, so more small businesses may soon get on board.

Bitcoin has an equivalent value in real currency. It can be digitally traded between users. You can also purchase and exchange bitcoin with real currencies (such as U.S. dollars). The most common ways to obtain bitcoin are through virtual currency ATMs […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:45+00:00August 13th, 2019|business, irs, w2|0 Comments

IRS Unveils New Tax Withholding Estimator

The IRS has unveiled its latest online tool, the “Tax Withholding Estimator.” The estimator, which replaces the “Withholding Calculator,” assists workers, retirees, self-employed individuals, and other taxpayers in determining how much income tax should be withheld from wages and pension payments. Among other things, the estimator features (1) plain language to improve user comprehension; (2) a mobile-friendly design; (3) enhanced tips and links on various tax credits and deductions; and (4) an automatic calculation of the taxable portion of any Social Security benefits. In addition, the tool makes it easier to enter wages and withholding for each job held by the taxpayer and his or her spouse. The IRS encourages all taxpayers to use the tool to do a “Paycheck Checkup” and review their withholding for 2019. The new estimator is available at www.irs.gov/individuals/irs-tax-withholding-estimator . If you have questions about withholdings and your tax estimates, please contact your Linkenheimer CPA.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:45+00:00August 9th, 2019|irs, withhold|0 Comments