When Loans to Friends Go Bad — Your Tax Break Might Not

If you’ve been burned after lending money to a friend or family member who didn’t pay you back, take heart: You may be able to deduct your loss. For federal income tax purposes, certain personal loans you make that aren’t repaid are classified as short-term capital losses. You can use the losses to offset short-term […]

Businesses: It’s Time to Gear Up for the SECURE 2.0 Roth Requiremen

Is your business prepared to implement the SECURE 2.0 Act’s Roth catch-up contribution rule? The rule requires that catch-up contributions made by certain high earners be invested in Roth accounts rather than traditional 401(k) plans. Earlier IRS guidance enabled a two-year administrative transition period, but time is almost up and the rule is scheduled to […]

FAQs about creating and optimizing customer profiles in QuickBooks

Small business owners might be tempted to rush through setting up customer profiles in QuickBooks® just to get invoices out quickly. But the extra data fields aren’t just busy work. Complete, accurate customer records help you generate more insightful reports, communicate with customers more effectively and save time on bookkeeping tasks later. Here are answers […]

Nonprofits: Form 990 Extended Filing Deadline Approaches (Nov. 17)

Did your nonprofit organization opt last May for an automatic six-month extension for filing Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax? If so, your 2024 information return (Form 990, Form 990-EZ or Form 990-PF) must be filed with the IRS by Nov. 17. Take steps to reduce the odds of your Form 990 […]

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 […]