Giving Back This Holiday Season? You Might Get a Tax Break, Too!

As the holiday season approaches, you may be thinking about volunteering for a charity. Volunteering can provide tax-saving opportunities if it’s for an IRS-approved tax-exempt organization and you itemize. You can’t deduct the cost of your time, but mileage costs (at a flat rate of 14 cents per mile) and other transportation expenses while volunteering […]

Making the most of the new deduction for seniors

For 2025 through 2028, individuals age 65 or older generally can claim a new “senior” deduction of up to $6,000 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). But an income-based phaseout could reduce or eliminate your deduction. Fortunately, if your income is high enough that the phaseout is a risk, there are steps you […]

No Deduction for Political Giving — Even for Businesses

For some states and municipalities (including New Jersey, Virginia and New York City), early November means election season. It’s important to remember that donations to political organizations and candidates aren’t tax-deductible. The prohibition is broad: You can’t, for example, deduct contributions made to political parties, campaign committees or even fundraising dinners if they benefit a […]

Important IRS ERC Changes: Refunds Limited After July 4, 2025

The IRS has updated its Employee Retention Credit (ERC) FAQ page. The new FAQs address ERC refund limitations enacted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The tax law prevents the IRS from allowing or refunding ERCs after July 4, 2025, for the third and fourth quarters of 2021, if those claims were filed after […]

The 2025–2026 “high-low” per diem business travel rates are here

If you have employees who travel for business, you know how frustrating it can be to manage reimbursements and the accompanying receipts for meals, hotels and incidentals. To make this process easier, consider using the “high-low” per diem method. Instead of tracking every receipt, your business can reimburse employees using daily rates that are predetermined […]

Fed Lowers Rates Below 4% for the First Time Since 2022

The Federal Reserve has approved its second straight interest rate cut. The Fed reduced the central bank’s benchmark rate by a quarter point. The target range is now set at 3.75% to 4%. Interest rates set by the Fed are below 4% for the first time since late 2022. The prospect of additional rate cuts […]

Don’t Overlook Local Transportation Deductions for Your Business

Most small businesses incur local transportation costs, which may be overlooked if not tracked. Commuting between home and work isn’t deductible. But the cost of local trips made for business purposes generally is, including trips to suppliers, customers or your business bank. You can use actual expenses or the standard mileage rate. Keeping an accurate […]

Social Security Taxation Unchanged — But a New Deduction for Seniors Arrives

Months after the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was enacted, confusion remains about the taxation of Social Security benefits. Overall, nothing has changed. Taxation of these benefits depends on the recipient’s provisional income, which combines half of his or her Social Security benefits with adjusted gross income and tax-exempt interest income. The OBBBA did […]

Delisting decisions: The complex road to going private

U.S. public companies may decide to delist — or “go private” — for various strategic and financial reasons. For example, chain retailer Walgreens recently finalized a private equity deal worth approximately $10 billion, after trading on the New York Stock Exchange for nearly a century. The company has endured years of regulatory and operational struggles, and […]

AICPA Calls on IRS for Clarity on New Tip and Overtime Deductions

Recently, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) asked the IRS to clarify reporting and substantiation requirements for deducting qualified tips and overtime pay. These deductions were made available by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act beginning in 2025. But the IRS has stated it won’t be updating Forms W-2 or 1099 for the […]