CURRENT EDITION
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Leaving the United States, Part III: Dual Citizenship
In Part I of this three-part series, we discussed the implications and taxes for American expatriates. In Part II we turned our attention to renouncing citizenship. Here in Part III, we will consider the halfway point of dual citizenship. And as you would expect, taxes are a serious consideration.
READ MOREHire Your Kids and Save Money on Your Taxes
Whether you’re preparing to have kids in the future or already have kids, there are tax strategies available (but often overlooked) that you should take advantage of. These are proven ways to save you money on your tax return. How do I know? Well, I use them myself. Bringing children into this world is a great joy and brings immense satisfaction. It’s important to remember, though, having children is a significant responsibility you should take seriously. From a very early age, you need to begin planning for your financial future to ensure you care for your children. There are 10+ unique ways the wealthy families in this country use their families to “qualify” for deductions that often go unused by the middle class. They go unused, not because the middle class can’t qualify; it’s that they don’t make the time to take proactive steps to prepare themselves. Here are just a few of the things you should know as you begin tax planning for your family.
Read MoreHow To Report Officer’s Compensation For A Late S Election
Question: If I am making a late S election for a client, how do I handle the fact that the officer received no officer’s compensation throughout the year? One of the biggest areas of audit for an S corporation return Form 1120S is officer’s compensation. The IRS collects and examines data from all returns filed and develops a computerized standard of insufficient compensation. Since this area can result in deficiencies for payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare) for every dollar of distribution reclassified to wage, tax advisors would be wise to avoid risk factors that might raise the risk of audit on officer’s compensation. By avoiding what resembles unreasonably low compensation, we can help business owners by limiting the number of Forms 1120S without officer’s compensation. However, when making a late S election, what is the rule when officer’s truly have taken no compensation? You might be surprised to learn it isn’t filing a Form 1099. Read on to find out how to reduce the risk of audit, while accurately reporting your first Form 1120S.
Read MoreDefer and Eliminate Capital Gains With Opportunity Zones
The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) created Opportunity Zones (OZ). Taxpayers who invest in Qualified Opportunity Zones can reduce capital gains tax and pay zero tax on the investment’s future appreciation. For this reason, Opportunity Zones have a significant edge over traditional capital gain deferral strategies like the 1031 Exchange. With more than 8,500 economic zones throughout the United States, investors and business owners have plenty of choices. Additionally, the investment gives them a chance to do some good in an economically depressed area, make some tax-free money, and achieve some permanent capital gain savings even after you’ve already sold your asset. What’s not to love? There are a number of intricate rules concerning OZ investment tax breaks so if you want to begin or expand your business or real estate holdings using these tax breaks, read on to learn more.
Read MoreWhen a 1031 Exchange May Not Actually Save On Tax
The 1031 Like-Kind Exchange (LKE) provides a great potential benefit to taxpayers who want to sell rental properties to purchase others in the United States. IRC § 1031 allows you to defer a taxable gain that would normally be taxed at the time of sale of a rental property. However, there are situations when a 1031 exchange may not be the best option for the taxpayer, and it could potentially dilute the tax savings when compared to a traditional sale or other gain minimization strategies. To take advantage of the tax deferral benefits of a 1031 exchange, you’ll need to follow a specific set of guidelines. Here, we will dive into the circumstances that you should review to determine if a 1031 exchange will be the best option in mitigating the taxes you owe.
Read MoreHow to Do a Backdoor Roth IRA (Safely) and Avoid the IRA Aggregation Rule and Step Transaction Doctrine
The basic concept of the “backdoor Roth IRA contribution” is relatively straightforward. Contributing directly to a Roth IRA is restricted for higher-income individuals; once a married couple has an AGI in excess of $193,000 (or $131,000 for an individual), the maximum contribution limit to a Roth IRA reduces to zero. However, anyone with earned income can contribute to an IRA, regardless of how high their income is; at worst, higher income levels may limit the deductibility of that IRA contribution (for those who are an active participant in an employer retirement plan), but not the ability to make the IRA contribution. In addition, under the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (TIPRA), there have been no income limits on Roth conversions of traditional IRAs since 2010. As a result, anyone who has funds in a traditional IRA, whether originally deductible or not, is eligible to do a Roth conversion. In other words, while income limits remain on Roth contributions, there are no income limits for a Roth conversion.
Read MoreIs Trader Tax Status Worth It?
As we navigate a world with COVID-19, large swings in the stock market have become the norm. Many buy and hold-style investors are more actively managing their portfolios to take advantage of these swings. The IRS has a special trader status for taxpayers who frequently engage in trading. This status includes a special accounting method, not available to the average investor, that can come with substantial tax savings. The status allows an investor to make special deductions and opens the door to a wide range of tax reduction strategies unavailable to the casual investor. However, with potential savings also come risks that could end up costing the taxpayer/trader more than the average investor. Weighing the pros and cons of this status is crucial in minimizing tax liability. The big question for tax planning is this — does obtaining trader tax status result in less tax?
Read MoreWhen a 1031 Exchange Should Be Used for Tax Savings
If you made money on your real estate investment, congratulations! You’re now in the same club that more than 90 percent of the world’s millionaires do to create wealth. Now it’s time for tax on that profit. A large tax bill generally means you made a large profit. But avoiding the tax can be like having your cake and eating it too. A 1031 Exchange is an incredibly powerful tool for you to defer the tax when used in the right circumstances. Many real estate investors and landlords look to the 1031 Like-Kind Exchange (LKE) as an excellent method of selling investment real estate without paying tax at the time of sale. This gives you more use of the cash you get at the sale and more time to use it.
Read MoreWill Changes to Qualified Improvement Property Get Me a Refund?
Question: I’m familiar with Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) and the technical correction made in 2020. What is everyone doing for returns when, if corrected, the client could benefit? Is it something you can amend the 2018 tax return for if you took a 179 expense instead of a bonus?
Read MoreNOT A MEMBER YET?
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CURRENT EDITION
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Leaving the United States, Part III: Dual Citizenship
In Part I of this three-part series, we discussed the implications and taxes for American expatriates. In Part II we turned our attention to renouncing citizenship. Here in Part III, we will consider the halfway point of dual citizenship. And as you would expect, taxes are a serious consideration.
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Reflecting On Rothing
I have been dissatisfied with most of the articles that I have read about what I call Rothing, i.e. foregoing a deduction for retirement savings with the prospect of tax-free distributions in the future or taking the tax hit on a deferred account to convert it to a tax-free account. The articles generally have a pro-Roth bias. Suze Orman, for example, swears by Roths. They also tend to not have numbers in them. What I am going to do here is to reflect on the idea of Rothing and discuss what I see as some key numbers. I’m not going to dive deep into technical issues.
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Considering a Historic Building for Your Business? These Tax Credits are Good News
Historic buildings make a beautiful location for doing business. Unfortunately, many of them may seem out of the price range of small business owners. But, that’s not necessarily the case. The state and federal governments have an interest in preserving these properties, and they are willing to give you tax credits for buying and restoring a historic building. The credits reimburse a large proportion of your restoration costs. This really is a great incentive to go for a building that will give your company a unique and professional feel.