GAO study released

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that an estimated $15.9 billion in Earned Income Tax Credit claims were erroneously paid out in 2024. Could artificial intelligence (AI) be used to combat such improper payments? A GAO study reports that AI-enabled tools could help by sifting through large volumes of data to find anomalous patterns or […]

Small business alert: Watch out for the 100% penalty

Some tax sins are much worse than others. An example is failing to pay over federal income and employment taxes that have been withheld from employees’ paychecks. In this situation, the IRS can assess the trust fund recovery penalty, also called the 100% penalty, against any responsible person. It’s called the 100% penalty because the […]

Firewall Act introduced to address natural disaster preparation

Natural disasters in the United States totaled nearly $182.7 billion in 2024, the fourth-costliest year on record. In response, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) have introduced the FIREWALL Act. It would provide refundable tax credits to eligible residents to improve their home’s resiliency to natural disasters. Specifically, the bipartisan bill would […]

Is a 529 plan right for you?

As summer nears, many parents are already thinking about covering education costs for the next school year. One option is the Section 529 savings plan, which offers federal (and sometimes state) tax benefits. Originally these plans could only be used for postsecondary education. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expanded the plans to cover K-12 […]

Fight corporate corruption with robust accounting systems

Financial losses from corruption are on the rise, according to “Occupational Fraud 2024: A Report to the Nations,” published by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). Nearly half the cases in the latest version of this report involved corruption. Even more alarming is the finding that the median loss for corruption cases grew by […]

Tax-Exempt 2024 filing due soon

The tax filing deadline has passed for most of us, but not for all. For example, the IRS is reminding tax-exempt entities that they must file their 2024 returns by May 15. Those who can’t meet that deadline may seek a six-month extension. Many of the Form 990 series returns and Form 4720 (for private […]

Who’s pulling the strings behind that investment?

New survey on expiring tax cuts

A new survey conducted by YouGov for the libertarian think tank Cato Institute has found that more than 80% of Americans say they can’t afford to pay higher taxes if the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s (TCJA’s) temporary tax provisions are allowed to expire at the end of 2025. Over half of the respondents […]

Can I deduct my time volunteering for charities?

The time you spend volunteering for charity isn’t tax-deductible, but some of your expenses may be. In general, these are out-of-pocket costs for which the tax-exempt organization doesn’t reimburse you. If you itemize deductions, travel expenses (including airfare, auto mileage, lodging and meals) can be deductible if the trip is primarily charitable. But travel costs […]

Hawaii plans to increase hotel tax to help it cope with climate change

Hawaii plans to increase hotel tax to help it cope with climate change – NPR https://bit.ly/3RIlAcN