Whalen & Company Archives - Page 9 of 41

Your 2015 Tax Planning Should Start Now

rlewis on April 29, 2015

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Whether you filed your 2014 income tax return by the April 15 deadline or filed for an extension, you may think that it’s a good time to take a break from thinking about taxes. But doing so could be costly. Now is actually the time you should begin your 2015 tax planning — if you haven’t already.

A tremendous number of variables affect your overall tax liability for the year, and starting to look at these variables early in the year can give you more opportunities to reduce your 2015 tax bill. For example, the timing of income and deductible expenses can affect both the rate you pay and when you pay. By regularly reviewing your year-to-date income, expenses and potential tax, you may be able to time income and expenses in a way that reduces, or at least defers, your tax liability.

In other words, tax planning shouldn’t be just a year end activity. To get started on your 2015 tax planning, contact Whalen. We can discuss what strategies you should be implementing now and throughout the year to minimize your tax liability.

Copyright 2015 Thomson Reuters
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Did the additional 0.9% Medicare tax catch you by surprise?

rlewis on April 21, 2015

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Facing an unexpected bill for the additional 0.9% Medicare tax?

The additional 0.9% Medicare tax applies to FICA wages and self-employment income exceeding $200,000 per year ($250,000 for married filing jointly and $125,000 for married filing separately). Unfortunately, the withholding rules have been tripping up some taxpayers, causing them to face an unexpected tax bill — plus interest and penalties — when they file their returns.

Employers must withhold the additional tax beginning in the pay period when wages exceed $200,000 for the calendar year — without regard to an employee’s filing status or income from other sources. So if your wages don’t exceed $200,000, your employer won’t withhold the tax — even if you’re liable for it. This might occur because you and your spouse’s combined wages exceed the $250,000 threshold for joint filers or because you have wages from a second job or have self-employment income.

If you expect to be in the same situation in 2015, consider filing a W-4 form to request additional income tax withholding, which can be used to cover the shortfall and avoid interest and penalties. Or you can make estimated tax payments. If you have questions about the additional 0.9% Medicare tax, please contact Whalen & Company.

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A net operating loss on your 2014 tax return isn’t all bad news

rlewis on April 14, 2015

When a company’s deductible expenses exceed its income, generally a net operating loss (NOL) occurs (though of course the specific rules are more complex). If when filing your 2014 income tax return you’ve found that your business had an NOL, there is an upside: tax benefits.

When a business incurs a qualifying NOL, the loss can be carried back up to two years, and then any remaining amount can be carried forward up to 20 years. The carryback can generate an immediate tax refund, boosting cash flow.

However, there is an alternative: The business can elect instead to carry the entire loss forward. If cash flow is fairly strong, carrying the loss forward may be more beneficial, such as if the business’s income increases substantially, pushing it into a higher tax bracket — or if tax rates increase. In both scenarios, the carryforward can save more taxes than the carryback because deductions are more powerful when higher tax rates apply.

In the case of flow-through entities, owners might be able to reap individual tax benefits from the NOL.

Please contact Whalen & Company if you’d like more information on the NOL rules and how you can maximize the tax benefit of an NOL.

Taking Advantage of Tangible Property Safe Harbors

rlewis on April 8, 2015

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If your business has made repairs to tangible property, such as buildings, machinery, equipment and vehicles, you may be eligible for a deduction on your 2014 income tax return. But you must make sure they were truly “repairs,” and not actually “improvements.”

Why? Costs incurred to improve tangible property must be depreciated over a period of years. But costs incurred on incidental repairs and maintenance can be expensed and immediately deducted. Distinguishing between repairs and improvements can be difficult, but a couple of IRS safe harbors can help:

Routine maintenance safe harbor. Recurring activities dedicated to keeping property in efficient operating condition can be expensed. These are activities that your business reasonably expects to perform more than once during the property’s “class life,” as defined by the IRS.

Small business safe harbor. For buildings that initially cost $1 million or less, qualified small businesses may elect to deduct the lesser of $10,000 or 2% of the unadjusted basis of the property for repairs, maintenance, improvements and similar activities each year. (A qualified small business is generally one with gross receipts of $10 million or less.)

Contact Whalen to ensure that you’re taking all of the repair and maintenance deductions to which you’re entitled.

Copyright 2015 Thomson Reuters
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Yes, there’s still time to make a 2014 IRA contribution!

rlewis on April 6, 2015

The deadline for 2014 IRA contributions is April 15, 2015. The limit for total contributions to all IRAs generally is $5,500 ($6,500 if you were age 50 or older on Dec. 31, 2014).

If you haven’t already maxed out your 2014 limit, consider making one of these types of contributions by April 15:

Deductible traditional. If you and your spouse don’t participate in an employer-sponsored plan such as a 401(k) — or you do but your income doesn’t exceed certain limits — the contribution is fully deductible on your 2014 tax return. Account growth is tax-deferred; distributions are subject to income tax.
Roth. The contribution isn’t deductible, but qualified distributions — including growth — are tax-free. Income-based limits may reduce or eliminate your ability to contribute, however.
Nondeductible traditional. If your income is too high for you to fully benefit from a deductible traditional or a Roth contribution, you may benefit from a nondeductible contribution to a traditional IRA. The account can still grow tax-deferred, and when you take qualified distributions you’ll be taxed only on the growth. Alternatively, shortly after contributing, you may be able to convert the account to a Roth IRA with minimal tax liability.

Want to know which option best fits your situation? Contact Whalen.

Category: Whalen & Company

News & Tech Tips

Your 2015 Tax Planning Should Start Now

Did the additional 0.9% Medicare tax catch you by surprise?

A net operating loss on your 2014 tax return isn’t all bad news

Taking Advantage of Tangible Property Safe Harbors

Yes, there’s still time to make a 2014 IRA contribution!

Image courtesy of John Kasawa at FreeDigitalPhotos.net