For a business owner, almost nothing in life is more uncertain than running a company during a pandemic. Like most people, worry about your own livelihood, family, friends, and loved ones and how you’ll cope during COVID-19 is at the top of your mind. But unlike others, you’ve got the added concern about your employees – both for their health and safety, as well as their financial health. While the government made some relief available in the earlier days of the pandemic such as forgivable loans like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Emergency Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) one of the biggest benefits provided has to do with a little known tax provision to the tax law. This provision makes it possible to provide certain payments without tax during a terrorist attack or disaster, but if it weren’t for a certain interpretation of President Trump’s declaration in March 2020, this benefit wouldn’t exist for COVID-19.

Most taxpayers understand that having an S corporation often eliminates the so-called “double tax” issue C corporations pose. However, the majority of S corporations begin as C corporations and the activity that occurred during the time it was a C corporation will determine how and when to tax distributions from the S corporation. C corporations cannot avoid double taxation on profits simply by electing to be treated as an S corporation (yet there are many other ways to save this double tax on C corporations, stay subscribed to learn about them). Withdrawing C corporation profits even when it later becomes an S corporation can create an extra tax. Here’s how to avoid that.

You have likely heard that owning rental real estate provides great tax benefits. This is true for a multitude of reasons, but there’s one benefit that is arguably the best of the bunch: The Small Taxpayer Allowance for Deducting Passive Rental Losses. Based on average household income levels, more than three-quarters of taxpayers can potentially qualify for this fantastic tax benefit that offers taxable income reduction of up to $25,000.

My client plans to take about $15,000 in distributions in excess of his basis from his S corporation construction business. I know this generates tax for him. He’s in the 32 percent tax bracket and single. Does he also have to pay the 3.8 percent net investment income tax and the 0.9 percent additional Medicare tax on this amount? Is there a way for him to avoid taxes on this amount?

With so many people looking for more ways to make money outside their 9 to 5 jobs, many are turning to money making methods using technology including trading in cryptocurrency. For tax purposes, the IRS considers cryptocurrencies property, not as currency. Just like other property types, stocks, investments, or real estate, when you sell, swap, or otherwise dispose of your cryptocurrency for more or less than you acquired it for, you incur a tax reporting obligation. As an example, there would be a $1,000 capital gain if 0.1 bitcoin is bought for $2,000 in June of 2020 and then sold for $3,000 two months later. This profit must be reported on the tax return and a certain amount of tax is due on the gain, depending on the tax bracket of the taxpayer. In this example, the gain would be short term requiring the profit to be taxed at the filer’s ordinary tax rate. These rates range anywhere from 0-37%.

This information is particularly important if you are the owner/shareholder of your own corporation – C or S corp. You can set up payroll and designate tax-free reimbursements for you to be working at home – as well other tax-free money for you and for your employees. (We will discuss employees momentarily. Yes, it’s essential.) If being an employee is your main source of income – watch out! The short answer to employees claiming an office in home deduction this year is... There is no deduction!

My client formed three limited liability companies (LLCs) to hold his rental properties. Without consulting me, he filed Form 8832, Entity Classification Election, to elect C corporation treatment, effective January 1, 2020, for these LLCs. I want the LLCs to be disregarded entities, which is the most tax-efficient structure for his situation. What is the best way to undo these elections?

Millions of taxpayers in the United States are using crowdfunding websites like GoFundMe and Kickstarter to raise money for important needs, such as paying medical bills, paying legal fees, or funding a new business venture. Both the IRS and the courts have been surprisingly silent on the tax consequences of crowdfunding platforms. The good news is that established tax law provides a clear road map for answering most tax questions created by raising money from a crowdfunding website. By knowing these rules, taxpayers can use crowdfunding to raise cash and minimize their overall tax exposure.