tax - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

Certain California Residents May Soon Be Contacted By a State Tax Agency

Beginning in late September and during October 2019 the CA Franchise Tax Board (FTB) will be sending 66,500 Notices of Assessment to taxpayers who filed as head-of-household but don’t qualify for that status. Taxpayers who disagree with the Notice of Proposed Assessment may log onto https://bit.ly/2k5JFOs. You may need to create an account. Or, contact the FTB by mail at Franchise Tax Board, PO Box 942840, Sacramento, CA 94240-5340, to file a protest. If you have questions, please contact your Linkenheimer CPA with questions.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:38+00:00September 18th, 2019|ca, CA tax|0 Comments

Uncle Sam May Provide Relief from College Costs on Your Tax Return

We all know the cost of college is expensive. The latest figures from the College Board show that the average annual cost of tuition and fees was $10,230 for in-state students at public four-year universities — and $35,830 for students at private not-for-profit four-year institutions. These amounts don’t include room and board, books, supplies, transportation and other expenses that a student may incur.

Two tax credits

Fortunately, the federal government offers two sizable tax credits for higher education costs that you may be able to claim:

The American Opportunity credit. This tax break generally provides the biggest benefit to most taxpayers. The American Opportunity credit provides a maximum benefit of $2,500. That is, you may qualify for a credit equal to 100% of the first $2,000 of expenses for the year and 25% of the next $2,000 of expenses. It applies only to the first four years of post-secondary education and is available only to students who attend at least half time.

Basically, tuition, course materials and fees qualify for this credit. The credit is per eligible student and is subject to phaseouts based on modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). For 2019, the MAGI […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:39+00:00September 17th, 2019|college tax credit|0 Comments

2019 Q4 Tax Calendar: Key Deadlines for Businesses and Other Employers

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the fourth quarter of 2019. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact your Linkenheimer CPA to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements.

October 15

If a calendar-year C corporation that filed an automatic six-month extension:
- File a 2018 income tax return (Form 1120) and pay any tax, interest and penalties due.
- Make contributions for 2018 to certain employer-sponsored retirement plans.

October 31

Report income tax withholding and FICA taxes for third quarter 2019 (Form 941) and pay any tax due. (See exception below under “November 12.”)

November 12

Report income tax withholding and FICA taxes for third quarter 2019 (Form 941), if you deposited on time (and in full) all of the associated taxes due.

December 16

If a calendar-year C corporation, pay the fourth installment of 2019 estimated income taxes.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:40+00:00September 11th, 2019|extension, tax deadlines|0 Comments

The Tax Implications of a Company Car

The use of a company vehicle is a valuable fringe benefit for owners and employees of small businesses. This benefit results in tax deductions for the employer as well as tax breaks for the owners and employees using the cars. (And of course, they get the non-tax benefits of driving the cars!) Even better, recent tax law changes and IRS rules make the perk more valuable than before.

Here’s an example

Let’s say you’re the owner-employee of a corporation that’s going to provide you with a company car. You need the car to visit customers, meet with vendors and check on suppliers. You expect to drive the car 8,500 miles a year for business. You also expect to use the car for about 7,000 miles of personal driving, including commuting, running errands and weekend trips with your family. Therefore, your usage of the vehicle will be approximately 55% for business and 45% for personal purposes. You want a nice car to reflect positively on your business, so […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:41+00:00September 4th, 2019|deduction, deductions, expensing, New Tax Laws|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