Limited liability company (LLC) members commonly claim that their distributive shares of LLC income (after deducting compensation for services in the form of guaranteed payments) aren’t subject to self-employment (SE) tax. But the IRS has been seeking back taxes and penalties from LLC members it claims have underreported SE income, with some success in court.…
As a business evolves, it will encounter the need to build credibility with outside parties, such as investors and lenders, and to make well-informed strategic decisions. In short, financial statements are a necessity. Typical components are an income statement, a balance sheet, and a cash flow statement. Also frequently included: a retained earnings/equity statement and…
A good marketing plan should be like a network of well-paved, clearly marked roads shooting out into the world and leading back to your company. But a business can get stuck in the mud trying to build these thoroughfares. For example, many companies use the same, outdated marketing materials for years. Others overly focus on…
A variety of tax-related limits affecting businesses are annually indexed for inflation, and many have increased for 2019. For example, the Section 179 expensing limit has gone up to $1.02 million from $1 million. Also up are the income-based phase-ins for certain limits on the new-last-year Sec. 199A qualified business income deduction for owners of…
If your business is considering upgrading its facility, or moving to or constructing a new one, be prepared to encounter “smart” buildings. A smart building is one equipped with sensors that gather and track information about energy usage. With this data, the building’s energy consumption can be more accurately tracked and regulated to lower costs.…
There aren’t too many things businesses can do after a year ends to reduce tax liability for that year. But you might be able to pay employee bonuses for 2018 in 2019 and still deduct them on your 2018 tax return. To be eligible for this favorable tax treatment, you must be an accrual-basis taxpayer…
If you own a business, an exit strategy should be part of your tax planning so that taxes don’t trip you up when you retire or leave the business for some other reason. An exit strategy is a plan for passing on responsibility for running the company, transferring ownership and extracting your money from the…
Most business owners would agree that selling to existing customers is easier than finding new ones. Yet many companies squander potential sales to long-term customers because they don’t create awareness of all their products or services. Learn everything you can about your best customers’ missions, plans and operations. Also, instruct your sales staff to regularly…
Tax planning is a year-round activity, but there are still some year-end strategies you can use to lower your 2018 tax bill. Here are six last-minute tax moves business owners should consider: 1) Postpone invoices. 2) Prepay expenses. 3) Buy equipment. 4) Use credit cards. 5) Contribute to retirement plans. 6) Qualify for the new…
As the year winds to a close, most businesses see employees taking a lot of vacation time. After all, it’s the holiday season, and workers want to enjoy it. But some businesses find themselves particularly short-staffed because they don’t allow unused paid time off (PTO) to be rolled over to the new year. There are…