Can you spot a scammer?

Can you spot a fake IRS employee? Many people tremble at the thought of hearing from the IRS. That fear can make them vulnerable to scams that seek to steal their assets or identities. To combat IRS impersonator scams, the IRS has created a fact sheet explaining how it contacts taxpayers. The first contact is […]

Proposed Inflation Reduction Act

If the proposed Inflation Reduction Act is passed, domestic manufacturers could bear the brunt, warns one lawmaker. U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, cited analysis by the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT). While the JCT projects that only about 150 taxpayers annually will be subject to the 15% book […]

Hobby or Business?

Is your hobby actually a business? It’s an important question because although you must report hobby income on your tax return, hobby expenses aren’t currently deductible. In general, an activity is considered a business if you pursue it with continuity and regularity and your primary purpose is to generate income or profit. Some other factors […]

How to treat business website costs for tax purposes

These days, most businesses have websites. But surprisingly, the IRS hasn’t issued formal guidance on when website costs can be deducted. Fortunately, established rules that generally apply to the deductibility of business costs provide business taxpayers launching a website with some guidance as to the proper treatment of the costs. Plus, businesses can turn to […]

IRS Whistleblower Program

New IRS Whistleblower Program director John Hinman admits that his group needs the public’s help. Specifically, it needs “people with first-hand knowledge of non-compliance who are willing to share what they know with us so we can investigate it when warranted.” Whistleblowers can report their specific, timely and credible claims about individual and corporate tax […]

Is your withholding adequate? Here’s how to check

When you filed your federal tax return this year, were you surprised to find you owed money? You might want to change your withholding so that this doesn’t happen again next year. You might even want to adjust your withholding if you got a big refund. Receiving a tax refund essentially means you’re giving the […]

CHIPS Act

The U.S. Senate has passed legislation on semiconductor production and economic competitiveness, including an investment tax credit for manufacturing facilities and equipment. The Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Act includes more than $52 billion for U.S. companies that make computer chips as well as a tax credit for investment in chip […]

Evaluating “going concern” concerns

Under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), financial statements are normally prepared based on the assumption that the company will continue normal business operations into the future. When liquidation is imminent, the liquidation basis of accounting may be used instead. It’s up to the company’s management to decide whether there’s a so-called “going concern” issue and […]

Agreement on the Inflation Reduction Act

The Inflation Reduction Act has moved a step closer to being passed in the U.S. Senate. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) have agreed to a pared down package of provisions once part of the larger Build Back Better Act. Tax-wise, the bill would impose a 15% minimum tax on corporations with […]

Independent Contractor reporting

Businesses must withhold employment taxes from employees’ wages and report the wages and the taxes withheld to the IRS. But the reporting obligations for workers who aren’t employees can be trickier. While a business isn’t responsible for withholding employment taxes from nonemployee (or independent contractor) compensation, a business that pays more than $600 to an […]