Client Alert
Making Smarter Retirement Account Distributions by Asking When, Why, and Where
As a proactive client, you often ask your tax professional about the tax effects of taking distributions from your retirement accounts. Unfortunately, it seems that proactive clients are in the minority. More often, your tax professional only learns about your retirement account distribution when the Form 1099-R arrives with your other tax documents. Proactive tax planners can improve their tax savings strategies by asking the when, where, and why that can help reduce negative tax consequences and can make you look like a problem-solving rock star to your clients. Whether you are looking for proactive ideas to implement on your own, or you want to be a problem-solving rock star with your tax planning clients, keep reading to learn how to make smart retirement account distributions.
Read MoreInflation Reduction Act — The Residential Clean Energy Credit
Your clients may think that business owners get all the tax breaks and incentives. But that’s not quite true. We see that with the expansion of clean energy tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act. One of the goals of the Inflation Reduction Act is to address climate change. The bill does this by helping taxpayers save green for using green energy. Taxpayers can not only enjoy tax benefits from riding clean the next 10 years. Your environmentally conscious clients can also reduce their tax bill as they make clean energy changes to their home. What client do you have right now that would enjoy claiming 30% of the costs of their home improvements for a tax credit? Not sure? Well get your pen and paper to make a list while we go over how this new credit can save them this tax year until 2034.
Read MoreNOT A MEMBER YET?
SUBSCRIBE TO GET ALL OF OUR
GREAT ARTICLES AND RESOURCES!
CURRENT EDITION
A Compendium Of Year End Tax Tips
As summer turns to fall, the leaves turn and houses start being decorated, the air becomes crisper and the internet fills with year-end tax tip pieces. I call them tip sheets. I just love reading tip sheets, but I’m retired from active practice. Somebody who doesn’t have time on their hands might look at two or three and figure they have seen it all and didn’t learn anything they didn’t know already. I’m here to tell you that if you keep hunting, you might find some gems. But better than that, I will share what I have found in the event you don’t have the time or inclination to look at another twenty or thirty tip sheets.
CTA on Pause! What Tax Pros Need to Know About the Nationwide Injunction and BOI Reporting
On December 3, 2024, a U.S. District Court judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction prohibiting FinCEN from enforcing the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and its associated Reporting Rule. This injunction halts the January 1, 2025, deadline for Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting, leaving many tax professionals and business entities questioning their compliance obligations. However, this pause is temporary. The government has already filed an appeal, and the injunction could be modified or overturned at any time. FinCEN has acknowledged that reporting companies are not currently required to file BOI reports but may do so voluntarily.
How to Help Your Clients Lower Their Student Loan Payments
There are roughly 42.7 million federal student loan borrowers as of Q4 2024, creating an opportunity to provide additional insight to your clients beyond tax preparation. By leveraging certain tax and repayment strategies, you can help your clients reduce their tax liability and lower their student loan payments in one strategic swoop. Here’s how.