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Law Change Affects Moving, Mileage and Travel Expenses

The Internal Revenue Service recently provided information to taxpayers and employers about changes from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that affect:

Move related vehicle expenses
Un-reimbursed employee expenses
Vehicle expensing

Changes to the deduction for move-related vehicle expenses

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspends the deduction for moving expenses for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017, and goes through Jan. 1, 2026. Thus, during the suspension no deduction is allowed for use of an automobile as part of a move using the mileage rate listed in Notice 2018-03. This suspension does not apply to members of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty who move pursuant to a military order related to a permanent change of station.

Changes to the deduction for un-reimbursed employee expenses

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act also suspends all miscellaneous itemized deductions that are subject to the 2 percent of adjusted gross income floor. This change affects un-reimbursed employee expenses such as uniforms, union dues and the deduction for business-related meals, entertainment and travel.

Thus, the business standard mileage rate listed in Notice 2018-03, which was issued before the Tax Cuts and […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:40+00:00May 31st, 2018|irs, moving expenses|0 Comments

IRS Audit Techniques Guides Provide Clues to What May Come Up If Your Business is Audited

IRS examiners use Audit Techniques Guides (ATGs) to prepare for audits — and so can small business owners. Many ATGs target specific industries, such as construction. Others address issues that frequently arise in audits, such as executive compensation and fringe benefits. These publications can provide valuable insights into issues that might surface if your business is audited.

What do ATGs cover?

The IRS compiles information obtained from past examinations of taxpayers and publishes its findings in ATGs. Typically, these publications explain:

The nature of the industry or issue,
Accounting methods commonly used in an industry,
Relevant audit examination techniques,
Common and industry-specific compliance issues,
Business practices,
Industry terminology, and
Sample interview questions.

By using a specific ATG, an examiner may, for example, be able to reconcile discrepancies when reported income or expenses aren’t consistent with what’s normal for the industry or to identify anomalies within the geographic area in which the taxpayer resides.

What do ATGs advise?

ATGs cover the types of documentation IRS examiners should request from taxpayers and what relevant information might be uncovered during a tour of the business premises. These guides are intended in part to help examiners identify potential sources of income that could otherwise slip through the cracks.

Other issues […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:41+00:00May 9th, 2018|audit, irs|0 Comments

IRS Reminds Retirees of April 1 Deadline to Take Required Retirement Plan Distributions

The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers who turned age 70½ during 2017 that, in most cases, they must start receiving required minimum distributions (RMDs) from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and workplace retirement plans by Sunday, April 1, 2018.

The April 1 deadline applies to all employer-sponsored retirement plans, including profit-sharing plans, 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans and 457(b) plans. The RMD rules also apply to traditional IRAs and IRA-based plans such as SEPs, SARSEPs, and SIMPLE IRAs, however, they do not apply to ROTH IRAs.

The April 1 RMD deadline only applies to the required distribution for the first year. For all subsequent years, including the year in which recipients were paid the first RMD by April 1, the RMD must be made by Dec. 31. A taxpayer who turned 70½ in 2017 and receives the first required distribution (for 2017) on April 1, 2018, for example, must still receive the second RMD by Dec. 31, 2018.

Affected taxpayers who turned 70½ during 2017 must figure the RMD for the first year using the life expectancy as of their birthday in 2017 and their account balance on Dec. […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:41+00:00March 15th, 2018|irs, retirement|0 Comments

IRS Releases Updated Withholdings Calculator and 2018 W-4 Form

The IRS has completed updating its online withholding calculator that individual taxpayers can use to determine how many withholding allowances they should claim for 2018. The IRS also issued a new 2018 Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate. The IRS had previously announced that taxpayers could use the old 2017 Form W-4, as modified in Notice 2018-14, until 30 days after the new form was issued.

The calculator and new Form W-4 are designed to implement changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (passed earlier this year), which increased the standard deduction, removed personal exemptions, increased the child tax credit, limited or discontinued certain deductions, and changed the tax rates and brackets, among many other changes.

To use the calculator, taxpayers should have certain information available, including an estimate of their 2018 income and other items that affect their taxes, including the number of children claimed for the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit. The IRS emphasized that the calculator is used to compute the amount of tax to be […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:42+00:00March 2nd, 2018|irs, New Tax Laws, withhold|0 Comments

IRS Releases Updated 2018 Withholding Tables

The IRS has released updated withholding tables for 2018. The tables reflect major changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), including an increase in the standard deduction, elimination of personal exemptions, and modification of tax rates and brackets. Employers should begin using the updated tables as soon as possible, but no later than 2/15/18. Employees are not required to do anything at this time. In addition, the IRS is revising the withholding tax calculator on IRS.gov . Taxpayers are encouraged to use the calculator to adjust their withholding once it is released by the end of February. The IRS also is working on revising Form W-4, which will reflect additional changes in the TCJA. The IRS may implement further changes involving withholding in 2019 as it works with the business and payroll community to encourage employees to file new Form W-4 next year.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:04:44+00:00January 25th, 2018|New Tax Laws|0 Comments