CURRENT EDITION

2026 Changes to Form 2441 and Dependent Care Benefits
The credit for dependent-care expenses (such as daycare costs) has long been stuck at 20% for "average" taxpayers. It finally gets a permanent boost in 2026 (for returns filed in 2027). Also, the amount of money a taxpayer can put into a dependent care assistance program is increasing by $2,500 for 2026. This change presents a chance for taxpayers and tax pros to reevaluate which is better – claiming the credit or using a flex plan.
READ MOREHow to Build a Better Client List (and Why It Matters More Than You Think)
You’ve got a packed calendar, a nonstop inbox, and maybe even a waitlist. But if your client list feels more like a burden than a blessing, you’re not alone. Many tax professionals find themselves weighed down by clients who are difficult, unprofitable, or simply not a good fit. What if the secret to a more profitable and fulfilling practice wasn’t more clients—but better ones? In this article, we will explore a simple, strategic framework to reshape your client base—one that leads to higher revenue, fewer headaches, and greater job satisfaction. From identifying red flags to implementing screening tools and disengaging with misaligned clients, these steps can help you build a practice you actually enjoy.
Read MoreEffortlessly Convert Leads: How AI Bots Can Handle FAQs and Drive Appointments for Accountants
AI technology, particularly in customer service automation, is now more accessible than ever. AI-powered bots are a powerful tool for businesses, including accounting firms, empowering them to improve efficiency, enhance client engagement, and ultimately drive conversions. For accountants, AI bots provide a unique opportunity to take control of frequently asked questions (FAQs) from prospects, turning these interactions into booked appointments. In this article, I will discuss how you can leverage the power of AI bots to efficiently handle FAQs and convert prospects into clients, all while saving precious time and resources. By the end of this article, you’ll have the knowledge to set up an AI bot that resonates with your prospects, builds trust, and seamlessly guides conversations toward scheduled appointments, allowing you to focus on higher-value tasks.
Read MoreYear-End Tax Planning Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, doesn’t reinvent the tax code it refines it. Much like its predecessor, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), it keeps many familiar provisions in play: lower rates, expanded SALT flexibility, and broader deductions. But here’s the real story: While most tax pros are busy memorizing what stayed the same, the planners who will win 2025 are the ones spotting what just became possible. OBBBA quietly opens a handful of powerful new planning windows — each one capable of delivering real, measurable savings for the right client. The key is knowing which changes are worth your time… and which are just political garnish. Below, we’ve curated the most strategic, high-impact moves to make before year-end 2025, the ones that separate the advisors who explain the law from those who leverage it. Most tax pros will stop at what changed. The smart ones will keep reading to learn how to use it.
Read MoreTiming is Everything: A Conversation Between a Tax Pro and Client
The new permanent bonus depreciation regime will bring back the old playbook: lever up to buy a rental property and bonus depreciate everything under the sun. But the tax savvy general partners know that WHEN to depreciate is just as important as how to depreciate.
Read MoreStudent Loans After the OBBBA Part 2: Helping Clients Navigate the New Landscape
As the federal student loan system enters a new era, advisors are tasked with helping clients navigate the practical implications of recent reforms. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) has redefined borrowing limits and repayment options, creating fresh challenges for borrowers at every stage of higher education. Whether clients are weighing school choices or managing existing student debt, understanding these updates is key to providing informed financial guidance. In Part 2 of our OBBBA student loan series, we explore how these changes could play out for common borrower situations and what advisors should be aware of to confidently guide clients through the post-OBBBA student loan landscape.
Read MoreAre You a “Real Estate Dealer” or “Real Estate Investor” for Tax Purposes?
Tax law is forever classifying people and making structures that either create benefits or disadvantages on your tax return. Part of getting the most from your return is about understanding the definitions of the IRS. Two that seem very similar but have distinctly different consequences on your taxes, are real estate dealer and real estate investor.
Read MoreTAX COURT ROUNDUP – November 2025
Though the government was shut down all month, and trial sessions were canceled, Tax Court carried on. Online improvements were forecast, the equitable tolling saga continued, and self-represented novelties featured this month.
Read MoreAn Analysis of the OBBBA’s Trump Accounts (Part 2)
In part one of this series, I went over the basics of the new retirement accounts for minors, Trump Accounts, which were created as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Trump Accounts allow the Government, Charitable Organizations, Parents, and others to contribute to a child’s savings, usually on an after-tax basis. These accounts then transition to a traditional individual retirement account (IRA) when the child turns 18. Although the contribution limits act like non-deductible traditional IRA contributions and have a contribution limit of only $5,000 per year, they do not have the same earned income requirements that traditional IRA contributions have. This means that children are able to accumulate savings even without earned income. This article presents several scenarios to examine how Trump Accounts may play into an overall savings strategy for children.
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CURRENT EDITION

2026 Changes to Form 2441 and Dependent Care Benefits
The credit for dependent-care expenses (such as daycare costs) has long been stuck at 20% for “average” taxpayers. It finally gets a permanent boost in 2026 (for returns filed in 2027). Also, the amount of money a taxpayer can put into a dependent care assistance program is increasing by $2,500 for 2026. This change presents a chance for taxpayers and tax pros to reevaluate which is better – claiming the credit or using a flex plan.

Turning Intellectual Property into Interest Deduction Capacity: Use of an IP Holdco After the OBBBA
Many taxpayers have lived with a frustrating mismatch since the Section 163(j) limitation tightened after 2021 – the business may generate plenty of cash, yet its interest deductions are limited because adjusted taxable income (“ATI”) is too low, e.g., due to capex. The 2025 restoration of depreciation and amortization addbacks makes ATI planning relevant again, especially for groups that own valuable intangible property (“IP”), and the choice of legal entity to house group IP may have very different tax consequences as discussed in this article.

Do You Know U.S. Tax History?
In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, let’s review 250 years of tax history. Our nation’s tax systems have evolved over two and a half centuries as ways of doing business and living have changed. Also, expectations of services the public wants and needs from the government have grown, resulting in tax changes to generate increasing amounts of tax revenue. Along the way, lawmakers have considered principles of simplification, equity, fairness, economic growth and effective tax administration that have shaped our tax laws. This article offers questions and answers to cover a range of interesting aspects of our federal tax history.








