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.

You may be familiar with the concept of a 1031 exchange as a way to defer gain on the sale of rental or investment real estate. But what happens when you want to completely exit the real estate game? A 1031 Exchange may not be the best option for you. There are a few drawbacks associated with a 1031 exchange, including the limited time frame you must acquire the replacement property, and that you must continue to invest in real estate. If you’re looking to continue deferring current or previously exchanged gains, a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) may provide a solution to these issues. But investing in a DST property or properties is like any investment. It comes with its own risks and rewards. Read on to find out more.

“Say dog.” My dad once told me that a friend paid for his lunch and said, “Say dog, then I can write this off.” She bred show dogs. File that under “nope.” That is not how the meals and entertainment (M&E) deduction works. Not even before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) changed the rules. The deduction for M&E is a favorite of many of our clients and rightfully so. Nevertheless, it can be a fraught area if taxpayers and their advisors don’t have a comprehensive understanding of how the rules for deducting expenses apply across the many different scenarios in which our clients are likely to apply them. The IRS issued the final regulations for deducting M&E expenses under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) § 274 on October 9, 2020. It made some additional, short-term adjustments when the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) became law on December 27, 2020. Here is an overview of the new regulations, how to use them to your clients’ benefit, and how to avoid the most common pitfalls.

Question: I was going to look into a conservation easement (CE) for a client and noticed the IRS has focused heavily on compliance efforts for abusive syndicated transactions. Are there any legitimate conservation easement transactions, or is it best to stay away from this strategy until things calm down? Answer: Sounds too good to be true, right? A $500,000 charitable tax deduction for a $100,000 land purchase in December. In your search for information, you may be scared off by the court cases and Department of Justice investigations of the promoters of syndication easements. Syndication deals are partnerships that own land ideal for conservation and allow groups of investors to pool their money in the business, which typically will also include other activities beyond just the land ownership. These deals have come under heavy scrutiny in the past few years as CEs became a listed transaction and more cases have wound their way through the court system. The IRS even announced a settlement program for syndicated conservation easements in mid-2020. Click here to read the full answer.

The monetized installment sale (MIS), which is more of a product than a tax concept sounds very attractive. In the right circumstances MIS promises a very long deferral of capital gains tax for a reasonable cost. But does the strategy actually work?

Question: How Late Is Too Late to Request a Late S Election? Answer: Late in 2020, the IRS issued a Private Letter Ruling related to a late S election request for relief. Generally, you must file a request to become an S corporation no later than the 15th day of the third month of the taxable year for which the election is to take effect. If you miss this deadline, or don’t file an election at all, the business is generally considered a C corporation or LLC. If you’re like most business owners, however, you may not have known at the time you formed your business all the tax benefits available to you by holding your business as an S corporation. Whether you were unaware, or for some other reason, it may be well past the official IRS deadline to make this request for the current or recently ended tax year. If you haven’t yet filed your tax returns at all, you may be qualified to use the relief available by following the proper procedures. You may also wonder, “How far back can I go in changing the way my business income is taxed?” To learn more about how far back and how long you can be “fashionably late,” continue reading.

March 18, 2020, was a big day for tax bonuses. Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The bad news is this bill requires certain employers to provide two weeks of paid leave to employees impacted by COVID-19. The good news is that when you provide it to your employees, you get a juicy tax credit to reimburse you for these benefits. If you’re self-employed, you may have noticed you tend to miss out on certain tax benefits designed for companies with employees. But in the case of FFCRA, these credits are also available when you are your own boss. Continue reading to find out how to get this cash as soon as the end of the current quarter.

The premium tax credit (PTC) is a refundable credit that is available to certain individuals “whose household income for the taxable year equals or exceeds 100%, but does not exceed 400% of an amount equal to the poverty line for a family of the size involved.” In other words, it’s a refundable tax credit that specifically subsidizes the cost of insurance purchased on a health care marketplace for individuals who are over the federal poverty level (FPL), but not by 400 percent or more. This credit is available as an advance paid directly to the marketplace for qualifying taxpayers who cannot afford (or do not wish) to pay their full monthly premium out of pocket. The amount of the credit is calculated based on estimated annual household income. When taxpayers receive more advance credit than they are entitled to, they must repay the excess. So, the consequences for an intentional or inadvertent underestimation of annual income can be severe. What follows is an overview of how the credit works and describes strategies for reducing the amount of advance premium tax credit (APTC) the taxpayer must repay both immediately and after the fact.