Identity Protection Pin Available To All Taxpayers Starting in January 2021, the IRS Identity Protection PIN Opt-In Program will be expanded to all taxpayers who can properly verify their identity. Previously, IP PINs were only available to identity theft victims. What is an Identity Protection PIN? An identity protection personal identification number (IP PIN) is…
Important Tax Changes for Individuals and Businesses Every year, it’s a sure bet that there will be changes to current tax law and this year is no different. From standard deductions to health savings accounts and tax rate schedules, here’s a checklist of tax changes to help you plan the year ahead. Individuals In 2021,…
When COVID-19 struck last March, employers quickly switched to a work-from-home model for their employees, many of whom began working in a state other than the one in which their office was located. While some workers have returned to their offices, many have not. If you’re working remotely from a location in a different state…
Certain energy-efficient home improvements can cut your energy bills and save you money at tax time. While many of these tax credits expired at the end of 2016, tax credits for residential and non-business energy-efficient solar technologies do not expire until December 31, 2021. Here are some key facts that you should know about these…
There’s never an off-season when it comes to scammers and thieves who want to trick people to scam them out of money, steal their personal information, or talk them into engaging in questionable behavior with their taxes. While scam attempts typically peak during tax season, taxpayers need to remain vigilant all year long. For example,…
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, enacted last spring, includes several temporary tax changes that help charitable organizations. One such provision allows taxpayers to deduct cash donations of up to $300 made before December 31, 2020. Designed especially for people who choose to take the standard deduction, rather than itemize. In tax-year…
Investing in Opportunity Zones: The Facts The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included numerous changes for businesses and individuals. One of these was the creation of the Opportunity Zones tax incentive, the purpose of which is to spur economic development and job creation in distressed communities by providing tax benefits to investors. Which Communities Qualify…
Year-End Tax Planning Strategies for Business Owners Several end-of-year tax planning strategies are available to business owners that can be used to reduce their tax liability. Let’s take a look: Deferring Income Businesses using the cash method of accounting can defer income into 2021 by delaying end-of-year invoices so that payment is not received until…
Individual Taxpayers: Year-End Tax Planning Strategies With the end of the year fast approaching, now is the time to take a closer look at tax planning strategies you can use to minimize your tax burden for 2020. General Tax Planning Strategies General tax planning strategies for individuals include accelerating or deferring income and deductions, as…
Tax Preparation vs. Tax Planning Many people assume tax planning is the same as tax preparation, but the two are quite different. Let’s take a closer look: What is Tax Preparation? Tax preparation is the process of preparing and filing a tax return. Generally, it is a one-time event that culminates in signing your return…