by Blair Butters | Aug 14, 2025 | General Tax and Accounting Information, IRS, Tax Credits, Tax Planning
What is the Big Beautiful Bill? Let’s cut through the noise. In July 2025, Congress passed a sweeping tax package officially known as the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), later renamed H.R. 1. Whether you’re a homeowner, small business owner, electric vehicle driver, or someone who just wants to avoid IRS headaches, there are several tax changes that could directly impact your bottom line. Here’s what you need to know. Quick Highlights: OBBB 2025 Tax Changes For Individuals Tax Rates – 37% top rate made permanent SALT Cap – Raised to $40,000 in 2025 (with income limits) New Deductions (2025-2028) – Car loan interest (new U.S.-assembled vehicles), tip income, and overtime pay Senior Deduction – Up to $6,000 ($12,000 for couples) for those 65+ Home Energy Credits End – Must install by Dec. 31, 2025 EV Credits End – Must purchase and take delivery by Sept. 30, 2025 For Small Businesses QBI Deduction – Up to 20% made permanent Bonus Depreciation – 100% expensing made permanent Section 179 – Limit increased to $2.5M Energy-Efficient Deduction Ends – Must complete by June 30, 2026 1099 Threshold – Increases to $2,000 starting in 2026 What’s In It for Individuals and Families Tax Rates The OBBB permanently extended the tax rates passed in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA – 2017) with a top marginal tax rate of 37 percent. Without passage of the OBBB, marginal tax rates would have reverted to pre-TCJA rates, with a top marginal tax bracket of 39.6 percent starting in tax year 2026. SALT Limitations Increased The limitation on individual deductions for certain state and...
by Blair Butters | Aug 5, 2024 | Tax Planning
Addendum: Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting Update In light of a federal court order issued on December 29, 2024, reporting companies are currently not required to file Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reports with FinCEN and will not face liability for failing to do so while the order is in effect. However, companies may choose to voluntarily submit their BOI reports during this time. For more information, consult the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) website or reach out to your tax professional. At the beginning of 2024, the U.S. Government started requiring U.S. companies and many small businesses to file Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI). In this blog post, we detail the following BOI information, so you know where you and your company stand: What is Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI)? Who needs to file? When are the filing deadlines? Recent Legal Changes How to file a BOI As always, contact your Accounting and/or Legal counsel for information specific to your company. What is Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI)? Beneficial Ownership Information refers to data that identifies the individuals who ultimately own or control a legal entity (think corporations, LLCs, and other similar entities). The purpose of collecting this information is to prevent and combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and other illegal activities that can be facilitated through anonymity in corporate structures. The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), enacted as part of the broader Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, introduced new reporting requirements aimed at enhancing transparency and curbing illicit financial activities. A key component of the CTA is the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) filing requirement, which affects a significant number of small business entities in...
by Blair Butters | Jul 24, 2023 | Auditing, Auditing, IRS, Tax Planning
Why Did the IRS Reject My Tax Return? The IRS may reject your tax return for many reasons, and while it can be a scary situation, it is often something that can be easily resolved. Today we will cover a few of the major reasons why your return may be rejected, how you will be notified, what you should do, and steps to prevent this situation from happening in the future. Why Your Return May Have Been Rejected If the IRS rejects your tax return, it is likely due to an error other than a simple math mistake. The IRS will typically correct math errors without rejecting a return. Outside of math errors, the IRS can reject your tax return for a number of reasons. Here are a few of the common ones: Inaccurate or Missing Information. Your name, date of birth, and/or Social Security number do not match what the IRS has on file. For example, if you changed your name after marriage, you need to update your name with the Social Security Administration for the IRS to know about your name change. Dependents Claimed on Multiple Returns. If you attempt to claim a dependent that has already been claimed on another return, yours will be rejected. For example, you and your ex-spouse both claimed the same child as a dependent on your returns. Your Return Was Already Accepted. Another return with your Social Security number and information was previously filed and accepted for that tax year. If this is the case, it could be a sign of fraud or identity theft. Incorrect PIN or Prior Year AGI....
by Blair Butters | Mar 15, 2022 | Auditing, General Tax and Accounting Information, IRS, Tax Planning
The word “audit” will make any business owner tense, especially when discussing or going through a tax audit from the IRS. However, there are strategies that taxpayers can use to help navigate an audit. In this blog, we’ll break down the auditing process so that you understand what an audit is, why you may be audited, what happens, and what to expect during an IRS audit if you’re facing one in the coming year. Let’s start with the basics. An audit is a review of your tax forms and financial documents. Its purpose is to double-check that you’ve properly filed your taxes and abided by tax laws. Audits do not happen every year. For example, only 0.4% of individual income tax returns were audited in 2019. The IRS selects randomly, through a computer screening, or when other related examinations have shown issues (such as the tax returns of a business partner or investor). Those issues can be as simple as a typo or mathematical error on a form, or as serious as failing to disclose taxable income or neglecting to report cryptocurrency transactions. (Using an accountant to file your tax returns can decrease your chances of simple computing errors.) The IRS will only notify you by mail if you are selected for an audit. A legitimate IRS audit will be conducted by mail or through an in-person interview at an IRS office, at your home or place of business, or at your accountant’s office. They will never call, text, or email. Any of the aforementioned communication methods are not legitimate, so if someone reaches out via these methods, do...
by Blair Butters | Oct 26, 2021 | General Tax and Accounting Information, IRS, Tax Credits, Tax Planning
Now that the filing season for 2020 tax returns is over, it’s time to start thinking about next year’s tax return, which may look different from prior years because of the pandemic relief bills, tax law changes, updates, new rules, and annual inflation adjustments. The earlier you begin, the more you can potentially save, and to get a head start, we’re breaking down key tax changes to help you prepare for April 15. Check out this list of 6 tax changes so you can begin preparing today. Child tax credit For the tax year 2021, the child tax credit will be increased from $2,000 to $3,000 for children over age 5 and under age 18 and to $3,600 for children 5 and under. However, for those with modified adjusted gross income above $75,000 for individuals, $112,500 for heads-of-household, and $150,000 for married filing jointly, the credit is reduced gradually until the credit is $2,000 per dependent. The credit is further reduced for those with modified adjusted gross incomes of $400,000 for married filing jointly and $200,000 for all other filing statuses. The enhancement is that, generally, the credit is fully refundable and now includes children who are 17 years old. The credit is claimed on your tax return like in prior years. Another important change to note is that at least half of the credit is paid in advance with monthly installments that began in July and will end in December 2021. The other half of the credit is claimed on your 2021 tax return. You can opt out of the monthly payments using the tool at the IRS...
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