Business Strategies

There are tax perks to filing a tax return as an ordained minister. But some of the things you’ve heard in the pool of public opinion are false, while others have a hint of truth. For example, pastors and ministers do indeed pay income taxes. Churches, on the other hand, do not but that’s a different article for a different newsletter. If you are serving members of the clergy, it is important to understand these perks. One that I see messed up the most is the housing allowance. The IRS allows ordained ministers to exclude their housing allowance from taxable income. That is if they meet certain other criteria. The complete amount the church has deemed as a housing allowance is not always the amount that the IRS allows. Even with that, the excludable amount is only from income taxes, not all tax. Ministers also have special rules and a potential exemption when it comes to social security and Medicare taxes. This is where I see many well-meaning taxpayers and even tax professionals messing up. But that will not be you or your client. We are going to look at what the minister’s housing allowance is according to the IRS. Then we will look at who qualifies for it, and how to calculate it.

What is a personal brand? If you asked me that question in 2018, I would not know how to answer it. As I embarked on my journey to entrepreneurship, I took on any accounting-related project that came my way. I had yet to learn about the meaning of a personal brand. Fast forward to 2020, I launched my CPA firm just before the COVID shutdown. While established CPA firms could sustain or pivot to new services, I still had to figure out how to get clients, build my online presence, and establish trust to create my brand. I learned on my journey that in today’s competitive landscape, a personal brand has become more critical than ever. Professional success is directly related to one’s brand, especially in service-based industries such as accounting. Surveys show that more business owners and young entrepreneurs are looking for accountants they can rely on for not only their technical skills and qualifications but also for a personal connection. Therefore, creating a solid personal brand distinguishes accountants from the rest of the crowd, enhances their credibility, fosters loyalty, and opens doors for new opportunities. I will share my experience, dive into the significance of a personal brand for accountants, and provide actionable strategies to help you build a solid personal brand that resonates with your target audience.

Judge Mark Holmes of the United States Tax Court expressed admiration for the achievements of Joseph G. Bucci Sr. whose American Rock Salt provides the salt to keep many of the streets in the Northeast passable in the winter. You can learn a bit about that from an interview in New York by Adriane Quinlan . The positive remarks were no help in the ultimate result. Judge Holmes agreed with the IRS that Bucci’s three side hustles — a real estate enterprise, a farm, and some racing horses — were “Activities not engaged in for profit” making losses unallowable. The total tab including accuracy penalties for 2016 and 2017 was $711,980. Judge Holmes explained the result in a bench opinion, which is less formal than a memo decision. The trial began in Buffalo on June 14, 2023.

The gig economy has opened moneymaking avenues for taxpayers who otherwise might have trouble making ends meet. But hustling has a price: Gig jobs also ignite tax complications that many of those workers probably don’t know about. Learning about those obligations too late can cost gig workers back-tax penalties and interest. They can also result in those workers sabotaging their own tax situation and paying too much money to the government. What do gig workers need to know about their complicated tax situation?

Many taxpayers use S corporations (governed by Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code) or C corporations (governed by Subchapter C of the Internal Revenue Code) to legally reduce income taxes, payroll taxes, and self-employment taxes for their business. However, without careful planning, a taxpayer may have a surprise tax bill from using a corporation for federal tax purposes. This article will tell you when these unexpected tax hits can happen and how the taxpayer can avoid them with proper planning.

Sure, the Augusta Rule can be a game-changer for your finances—but only if you tread carefully. Get one element wrong—be it your business structure, purpose, or documentation—and you could be inviting the taxman to your doorstep. And don't even think about going it alone; if your tax pro isn't well-versed in this complex write-off, you're essentially rolling the dice on an audit nightmare. The Augusta Rule has lately become the talk of the town on TikTok's tax scene, capturing the attention of both amateur bloggers and seasoned tax experts. In this article, we'll demystify what the Augusta Rule really entails, identify who stands to benefit from it, explore legal ways to leverage it, and highlight potential risks you should be aware of. First, let's delve into its fundamentals. Read on to find out how to navigate this high-stakes tax strategy without detonating your financial future.

Taxes can be a maze of numbers and jargon that leave even the savviest individuals scratching their heads. But what if there was a secret method that tax professionals were using to make it all seem as easy as child's play? Introducing the ELI5 approach!

Yes, another ChatGPT article. Or GenAI, really. Okay, I saw you roll your eyes. Well, not "saw" per se, but I felt it allllll the way from over here. But honestly, this is for your benefit, not mine! I've already figured out a ton of ways to use it to make my life easier. Yes, that's right, it's made my LIFE easier, not just work. I'm happy to share a little bit about it if you're interested. Also, before you say (again), "ChatGPT can't do tax returns or tax research. It's a useless piece of technology," - I get it! So much of what we focus on in our practice is the actual work parts. But we are far more than just tax compliance. Or at least we want to be. Okay, think about it this way - why did you become a tax practitioner? Was it because you wanted to help people? Or was it because you thought, "Oh boy, I sure love to just crank out tax returns for 80 hours a week, three months a year!" I'm guessing it was the former! And I don't know about YOUR tax practice, but mine has gotten far more complicated in the last... 20 years? Let's think about all of the changes that have happened in just the last five years? (Okay, yes, that's cheating, but I'm going to do it anyway). We've had TCJA, SECURE, CARES, SECURE 2.0, and probably half a dozen more, in addition to new regulations, case law, IRS pronouncements, state tax law changes, etc. And that's JUST with the tax law. In your practice, consider all of the things that have changed and gotten more complicated. Hybrid and remote work, finding employees, ever-expanding technology stack, one of those fancy new espresso machines with too many buttons, going paperless but still having at least five clients that mail you their documents, trying to determine a niche to offset the additional complexity, figuring out how to market to that niche... And on and on and on. So, my question would be - why WOULDN'T you want to use tools like ChatGPT to offload some of the work? GenAI came along just in time to address a lot of these issues. And I get it, it's hard to see that the pot is boiling when you're the frog in the soup, but let me tell you - the pot is boiling. Let's get you out of there!