For many Americans, debt has become a way of life. A recent LendingTree analysis of the latest Federal Reserve data showed that total U.S. consumer debt is on track to exceed $4 trillion this year. The analysis showed Americans collectively owe more than 26 percent of their monthly income on consumer debt, including car loans, credit card accounts and student…
A passive activity is a business activity in which a taxpayer does not materially participate. Material participation defined. So just what is material participation? In general, material participation requires you to be involved in the operation of the activity on a regular, continuous, and substantial basis. If you do not meet this threshold, the activity is deemed passive in the…
With more than 40 million Americans seeking unemployment benefits over the past 2 months, states are doing their best to keep up with the avalanche of applications. States are also bracing for an increase in Medicaid enrollment as many Americans get pushed off their employer’s health care plan. If you need to apply for Medicaid, here’s how you can protect…
Every year taxpayers are hit with tax surprises that could be avoided if they just knew the rules. Here are five big ones that are easy to avoid with some simple planning. Mistake #1. Withholding too little. This results in a tax surprise when filing your income tax. Don’t be too hard on yourself if this happens to you. Social…
If you’re age 35 or more and haven’t made a serious effort to plan for retirement, your dreams of a comfortable and active retirement could turn into the nightmare of being old and poor. Scare tactics, you say? Consider this: most experts say you need at least 66% of pre-retirement income to live comfortably when you retire. But an active…
There is no magic to making money by investing. It requires discipline, determination, perseverance, and hard work. In deciding what investments are suitable for you, you must first understand the nine basic rules of investing. 1. Risk versus return. The greater the risk that you will lose not only the return on your investment but your original investment as well,…
It is one thing to be taxed on retirement contributions and their related earnings when you withdraw funds from your Traditional IRA, it is quite another when you pay the tax PLUS a 10% penalty for early withdrawal. Need funds prior to retirement and want to avoid the early withdrawal penalty? There are cases when this can be done: Medical…
One way to reduce your tax bill this year is to donate appreciated stock to a charity of your choice versus writing a check. This part of the tax code provides a tax benefit to you in two ways: Higher deduction. Your charitable gift deduction is the higher Fair Market Value of the appreciated stock on the date of your…
The word “audit” is enough to raise anyone’s blood pressure. If the IRS agent then tells you they want to see bank accounts and personal records you may need a heart monitor. Should this happen to you, you could be in a process known as a lifestyle audit. Background The lifestyle audit was a tool used by auditor’s to ascertain…
To keep your insurance costs down, don’t buy insurance to pay for every small medical bill, auto repair, or financial loss. Build a savings account to handle life’s small financial inconveniences. Think of insurance as protection against catastrophes. You can lower your insurance premiums significantly by taking larger deductibles. Also, look for comprehensive insurance, not coverage for one specific event.…
Be aware that important tax consequences are often associated with some fairly common events involving your home. Here are some handy things to know. Home purchase. When purchasing a home, you may pay a portion of the mortgage interest in advance. This loan origination fee, or “points,” is a percentage of the total amount borrowed. If points are paid for…
Teaching your child about money and finances is easiest when you start early. Here’s a quick review of what you should teach your children at each age if you want them to become financially competent adults: Preschool Identify coins and bills, and learn what each is worth. Understand that you can’t buy everything (choices are necessary). Save money in a…
While many people find estate planning important, those with small children may find it especially critical. An estate plan can be a helpful planning tool to ensure your children are protected in the event that something happens to you. You may use your estate plan to appoint guardians for your minor children, as well as provide for their financial well-being.…
Tax law change can be good — but it can also be messy. Make sure you’re keeping track of everything you need for the 2018 tax season (and beyond) using these pro-approved tips: 1. Create a separate bank account for all self-employed business activity. This will greatly minimize confusion come tax time by giving you just one place to look…
Financial records are notorious for being messy. Bills, paycheck stubs, tax returns and bank statements have a way of getting tucked into random places. Luckily, there are a few pretty painless ways to organize your important documents. Put all your financial records in one dedicated spot To ensure that bills are paid on time, bank statements are reconciled and…
Everyone loves a free meal – especially employees. However, your business tax return will be affected differently depending on the circumstances of the mealtime experience. While you can generally deduct only half the cost of meals related to your business activities, the tax code includes specific exceptions that allow a deduction of 100 percent of what you spend on…
Team Business Accounting Systems took part in The Light The Night Walk on Saturday, October 17th at Washington Lake Park, Sewell, NJ. The Light The Night Walk is a fundraising campaign benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and their funding of research to find blood cancer cures. As a team, we raised $1400 to support this mission. Co-workers, friends,…
If you or a member of your family is off to college this fall, you may be eligible for the American Opportunity Tax Credit. Eligible students may take this credit for the first four years of higher education. The credit can be up to $2500 annually. Expenses that qualify for the credit include tuition, fees, and related expenses. Forty percent…
Is your cabinet overflowing? Do you hesitate to purge tax information because you’re not sure what to keep and what to discard? Here’s a quick guide to help you cut through the clutter. Expenses. Substantiation for deductions includes charitable donation acknowledgments, receipts for employee business expenses, and automobile mileage logs. Retain these at least seven years after you file the…
A tax-deferred exchange is a tax planning technique which should be considered by any taxpayer that is relocating or disposing of property. Often referred to as a “tax-free exchange,” the tax-deferred exchange allows you to exchange certain business or investment property for other “like-kind” business or investment property and pay no income taxes currently. Your tax liability is deferred until…
Business Accounting Systems, P.C. has been named to the 100 best in South Jersey Business List by South Jersey Biz Magazine, 2015. The specialty to which we have been named this time is Bookkeeping. In 2014, we were named to the list for our Payroll Services. We are proud and thankful for the nomination and win. Thank you for…
Even if you don’t itemize deductions on your tax return, you may be entitled to certain “above-the-line” deductions. These deductions are subtracted from your income to arrive at your adjusted gross income, an important number because it determines your qualification for certain tax credits and various tax breaks. Above-the-line deductions include such things as IRA contributions, health savings account contributions,…
How you classify your workers – as “independent contractors” or “employees” – matters a great deal to the IRS. The IRS is aware that employers prefer to treat workers as independent contractors to avoid paying fringe benefits and payroll taxes. The IRS estimates that 80% of workers who are classified as independent contractors are actually employees. About 100 new auditors…
Next year, taxpayers will get a few extra days to file their 2015 income tax returns. The District of Columbia will be observing Emancipation Day on April 15, 2016, the usual filing deadline. Because April 16 and 17 fall on a weekend, the 2016 filing deadline is moved to the next business day which is April 18. Taxpayers in Maine…
A new law, the “Don’t Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act,” was signed on May 22, 2015, to clarify the tax treatment of federal and state benefits for public safety officers killed or injured in the line of duty. Under the law, such benefits will not be subject to federal income tax.
In a survey of small businesses conducted by the National Small Business Association, 59% of respondents said taxes were more of an administrative burden than a financial one. Most businesses put payroll taxes at the top of the list of taxes with the greatest administrative burden. Payroll taxes also outranked other taxes, such as income, property, and sales taxes, as…
Here’s another filing deadline that might apply to you: April 15 is the due date for filing 2014 gift tax returns. If you made gifts last year in excess of the $14,000 annual limit to any one individual, you may need to report the transaction to the IRS. If you and your spouse agree to “gift-splitting,” you could give up…
If you didn’t have health insurance in 2014 or the insurance you had did not meet minimum requirements, you may have to pay a penalty on your 2014 Federal Income Tax Return – unless you qualify for an exemption. Exemptions include unaffordable coverage when premiums would have exceeded 8% of your household income, a coverage gap of three months…
In its final session of the year, Congress extended a long list of tax breaks that had expired, retroactive to the beginning of 2014. But the reprieve is only temporary. The extensions granted in the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 remain in effect through December 31, 2014. For these tax breaks to survive beyond that point, they must be…
Just because it is summertime, it doesn’t mean that you should shelve any thoughts about next year’s tax return. The choices made throughout the year can and will affect how much money you get back from the IRS or how much you will have to pay. A large refund sounds inviting, but not at the expense of a struggling budget…