Eyes on related parties

Business transactions with related parties — such as friends, relatives, parent companies, subsidiaries and affiliated entities — may sometimes happen at above- or below-market rates. This can be misleading to people who rely on your company’s financial statements, because undisclosed related-party transactions may skew the company’s true financial results. The hunt for related parties Given […]

The Employer-Provided Child Tax Credit

A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report confirms that the Employer-Provided Child Tax Credit can financially benefit employers and employees. The statutorily mandated review drilled down on several subjects, including the tax implications for employer-provided child care, characteristics of employers claiming the credit, challenges employers face in offering it and benefits eligible employees receive. Overall, […]

There’s a deduction for student loan interest … but do you qualify for it?

If you’re paying back college loans for yourself or your children, you may wonder if you can deduct the interest you pay on the loans. The answer is yes, subject to certain limits. The maximum amount of student loan interest you can deduct each year is $2,500. Unfortunately, the deduction is phased out if your […]

The burden of credit card debt

Gig workers should understand their tax obligations

The number of people engaged in the “gig” or sharing economy has grown in recent years. In an August 2021 survey, the Pew Research Center found that 16% of Americans have earned money at some time through online gig platforms. This includes providing car rides, shopping for groceries, walking dogs, performing household tasks, running errands […]

IRS update

In a March 21 speech before a tax executives convention, IRS chief Charles Rettig stated that the agency is “trending in a really good direction” in catching up on unprocessed returns. However, he warned, the agency needs more in long-term government funding if it’s going to achieve its six-year modernization plan. Despite a recent 6% […]

The voice bots are coming

The next time you contact the IRS, your call or online text might be received by a voice or chat bot. The IRS is now employing the technology on two of its specialized phone-assistance lines and on IRS.gov. The voice bots will provide taxpayers with assistance in English and Spanish. These bots can help taxpayers […]

How to keep your tax return safe from “ghosts”

Which IRS notices are temporarily suspended?

A bipartisan group of lawmakers recently sent a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig requesting information on the suspension of certain tax notices that the IRS normally issues when a taxpayer owes tax and the IRS has no record of the taxpayer filing a tax return. The lawmakers expressed confusion about the extent to which […]

Charitable Donations

Advocates of charities are urging Congress to revive a charitable giving deduction for taxpayers who don’t itemize on their tax returns. The above-the-line tax deduction was created by the CARES Act in response to the pandemic. It was available in 2020 and extended through 2021 but has expired for 2022. For 2021, the deduction was […]