Don’t forget your RMD

Time is running out if you’re age 73 or older and haven’t yet taken this year’s required minimum distributions (RMDs) from retirement plans such as IRAs and 401(k)s. If not withdrawn on time, RMDs are generally subject to a 25% excise tax on the amount the taxpayer should have withdrawn. If you reached age 73 […]

Federal court rules against DOL’s “white collar” overtime rule

A federal district court judge has struck down the Biden administration’s new rule regarding the salary threshold for determining whether certain employees are exempt from federal overtime pay requirements. The first phase of the rule took effect for most employers in July 2024 and affects executive, administrative and professional (EAP) employees. With a Republican administration […]

IRS-CI releases 2024 Annual Report

The IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) released its fiscal year 2024 Annual Report. It details significant cases involving crimes ranging from tax fraud to cybercrime, enhanced domestic and foreign partnerships, and investigative statistics. IRS-CI obtained 1,571 convictions with a conviction rate of 90%. Investigations identified $2.12 billion in tax fraud and another $7.03 billion from other […]

Injunction halts BOI reporting

Under the Corporate Transparency Act, the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) requires small business owners to report certain information. The requirements are intended to help prevent criminals from using businesses for illicit activities. They mandate businesses to provide beneficial ownership information (BOI) about their owners to FinCEN. The deadline to file a BOI […]

Get tax breaks for energy-saving purchases this year because they may disappear

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), enacted in 2022, created several tax credits aimed at promoting clean energy. You may want to take advantage of them before it’s too late. On the campaign trail, President-Elect Donald Trump pledged to “terminate” the law and “rescind all unspent funds.” Rescinding all or part of the law would require action […]

A new School year is coming soon

The start of another year isn’t far off. With it comes a new school semester and possibly new tuition bills. If you’re thinking about helping a grandchild or other student with their college expenses, consider the tax implications. If the amount you give exceeds the annual gift tax exclusion, you might owe gift tax on […]

Is your passport at risk?

Seriously delinquent tax debt (SDTD) could put your passport at risk (unless an exception applies). SDTD is a legally enforceable, unpaid federal tax assessment. In 2024, this debt must exceed $62,000, with a lien filed and other remedies exhausted. In 2025, the threshold will rise to $64,000. These debts include U.S. individual income taxes, trust […]

Self-employment tax: A refresher on how it works

If you own a growing, unincorporated small business, you may be concerned about high self-employment (SE) tax bills. The SE tax is how Social Security and Medicare taxes are collected from self-employed individuals like you. SE tax basics The maximum 15.3% SE tax rate hits the first $168,600 of your 2024 net SE income. The […]

Be wary of online tax advice

Despite IRS warnings, many taxpayers continue to be duped by bad online tax advice. The tax agency and its Security Summit partners are renewing alerts about false social media claims “that promise to magically enrich taxpayers.” In particular, taxpayers are warned about claiming credits, including a nonexistent “Self Employment Tax Credit” and the Fuel Tax […]

Long to be nominated for IRS Commissioner

President-Elect Trump has announced he’ll nominate former Missouri Rep. Billy Long to be IRS Commissioner. Current leader Danny Werfel is scheduled to remain in the position until 2027. But Trump plans to replace Werfel with Long before his term ends. Werfel has overseen some IRS modernization efforts made possible by Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds. […]