Under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015, many tax breaks have been retroactively expanded for 2015 and beyond, and in some cases been made permanent. Now that the new law has settled, individuals and small business owners can plan ahead with these 10 midyear tax strategies inspired by the recent legislation. 5  Continue Reading »

The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015 locked in favorable depreciation rules for business use of “heavy” SUVs, pickups and vans. You may be able to write off the entire business-use portion of a heavy vehicle’s cost in the first year by taking advantage of these rules. Here’s how it works. Heavy Vehicle  Continue Reading »

This is a useful library of some IRS publications covering issues that can affect businesses and employers. The rules are often complicated and can be difficult to implement. Contact your tax adviser for more information.   Title Publication Number Description Basis of Assets 551 The amount of your investment in property used to figure depreciation,  Continue Reading »

Take note if your organization employs seasonal workers or part-timers for the holidays: The IRS has issued a Health Care Tax Tip on how these individuals affect whether your business is subject to the shared responsibility provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Background Applicable large employers (ALEs) are required by the ACA to report the  Continue Reading »

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) involve individuals and businesses buying less expensive health insurance policies with high deductibles, and contributions to the accounts are made on a pre-tax basis. The money can accumulate year after year tax free, and be withdrawn tax free to pay for a variety of medical expenses such as doctor visits, prescriptions, chiropractic  Continue Reading »

If you participate in a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k), profit-sharing, or Keogh plan, through your job or self-employment, you might be allowed to borrow from the account. It’s important to note that the borrowing option is not available for traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEPs or SIMPLE-IRAs. In the right circumstances, taking out a  Continue Reading »

There’s no doubt that technology has transformed our lives, from mobile apps to the Internet. It facilitates financial transactions and the transmission of information. But with convenience, it also brings risks. There are weekly news stories about sensitive personal data being hacked online and sold on the black market. Thieves use personal data to access  Continue Reading »

Do you find yourself with the urge to spring clean every year near the federal tax deadline in April? It feels good to throw out some of the financial records stuffing your filing cabinets. But before you head for the trash, make sure you’re not disposing of records you may need, because you don’t want  Continue Reading »

Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) provide tax-saving opportunities for business owners who want to exit the business and are committed to employee ownership. A business valuation is the first step to determining whether this option makes sense for you. How ESOPs Save Taxes Business owners typically qualify for the current maximum 20 percent maximum federal rate on  Continue Reading »

There have been several significant tax developments that affect Maine small business partnerships in recent months. They also apply to multi-member limited liability companies (LLCs) that are treated as partnerships for federal tax purposes. (For simplicity, we’ll use the terms “partnership” and “partner” to refer to all entities and owners that are affected by the  Continue Reading »