Loopholes

Way Out of State Tax on Student Debt Forgiveness

There was some rain on the parade of celebration of the student loan debt forgiveness. The Tax Foundation, perhaps with a touch of schadenfreude, announced that the forgiveness, not federally taxable due to recent legislation, might be taxable in as many as thirteen states. They have taken a closer look and backpedaled quite a bit. It is now down to four states Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina and Wisconsin and those are not for sure. But, there is likely another way out for many of the recipients of this boon. Keep reading to learn more!

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CURRENT EDITION

2025 Winter Education Series Event Calendar

Dominique Molina, CPA MST CTS

Think Outside the Tax Box proudly presents the 2025 Winter Education Series! This October through December, we are bringing our loyal subscribers five webinars featuring some of the brightest minds in tax. Each high quality webinar is filled with engaging content, actionable insights for your clients, and they all come with continuing education credits for those who qualify. All of this is included in your regular subscription! Check out what we’ve got in store for you!

Is It Time to Hire in Your Firm?

Timalyn Bowens, EA

After my second busy season as a solo practitioner, I made a terrible mistake within my firm. I hired my first employee. As a matter of fact, I hired someone who also had tax and accounting experience. You may be thinking, “What? Hiring is the solution if you were feeling overwhelmed.” That is true, if you are assuming that I had the proper systems in place. The mistake I made was hiring an employee before I was ready. The money was there and ready. The work was there and ready. It only took a few weeks to realize that I didn’t have a capacity issue. I had a systems and processes issue. I am not suggesting that you should work yourself to full capacity, absolutely not. I am suggesting that before you attempt to pass along a task to someone else or put in place automation that you have a written-out process.

You Don’t Need a Bigger Stack — You Need a Better Portfolio

Joshua Youngblood, EA, CTRS, CRETS, NTPI Fellow

In every tax Facebook group or conference session, there’s always that one pro excitedly talking about the latest app they’ve added to their “tech stack.” But here’s the dirty little secret: most of us aren’t running integrated tech stacks. We’re juggling a mix of disconnected tools that may or may not play nicely together. Let’s stop pretending we’re all building perfectly integrated ecosystems. What we really need is a tech portfolio—a curated collection of tools that serve our actual needs, reflect how we really work, and support the kind of client experience we want to deliver. A portfolio recognizes reality: tools don’t have to talk to each other perfectly. They just need to work for you. So let’s explore how to build a smart, efficient, and secure tech portfolio that helps you thrive whether you’re a solo professional or managing a growing team.