The Trust Fund Recovery Penalty

Employers that withhold taxes from employee wages but don’t pay them over to the IRS may face a penalty of 100% of the unpaid tax. The Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (TFRP) can be assessed personally against “responsible” parties. In one case, the owner of three masonry companies was assessed a TFRP of $650,000 for failing […]

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Corporate tax rate outlook

Among the tax changes proposed by President-Elect Donald Trump is a revamping of the corporate income tax rate. The rate is currently 21%, which was intended to be permanent under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. However, Trump is proposing to drop it to 20% or 15% to stimulate economic growth. To encourage domestic production, […]

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How to report contingent liabilities in your company’s financial statements

It’s critical for business owners and managers to understand how to present contingent liabilities accurately in the financial statements. Under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), some contingent losses may be reported on the balance sheet and income statement, while others are only disclosed in the footnotes. Here’s an overview of the rules for properly […]

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Is it ordinary and necessary?

Business owners can generally deduct “ordinary and necessary” business costs, including eligible legal fees. In one U.S. Tax Court case, a taxpayer argued he was entitled to deduct nearly $600,000 in legal expenses on his return. He claimed the expenses were related to a fraud loss at an investment company where he worked as the […]

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