Archive

Monthly Archives: January 2021

How Can Borrowers Account for PPP Loans? by Whitney Schiffer, CPA


Posted on January 21, 2021 by Whitney Schiffer

As businesses and nonprofits close their books for 2020, those that received SBA-backed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans must now consider how they will account for those funds on their end-of-year financial statements. Absent specific reporting requirements from the SBA or the IRS, borrowers can instead rely on technical guidance issued by organizations that include […]

More States Aim to Increase Taxes on Millionaires by Karen A. Lake, CPA


Posted on January 20, 2021 by Karen Lake

In late 2020, New Jersey became the fourth state to raise taxes on its wealthiest residents, applying a top marginal tax rate of 10.75 percent to annual earnings of $1 million or more. Previously, New Jersey taxpayers with annual gross income between $1 million and $5 million were subject to a top rate of 8.97 […]

College Tax Credits Can Ease Costs of Higher Education by Joanie B. Stein, CPA


Posted on January 19, 2021 by Joanie Stein

A college education is a significant expense. To help reduce the financial burden of paying for higher education, college students and their families may qualify for certain tax credits and other tax-advantaged savings programs offered through public and private sources. The American Opportunity Tax Credit The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) provides a maximum annual […]

How to Apply for Loans Under the Revived Paycheck Protection Program by Andrew Leonard, CPA


Posted on January 14, 2021 by Andrew Leonard

The Small Business Administration (SBA) and U.S. Treasury Department recently announced the opening dates for the second round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP2) and released the application forms small businesses, nonprofits and other qualifying entities should use when applying for first-time and second-draw loans under the revived program. Lenders with $1 billion or less […]

2021 Changes to Tax Provisions Related to Health Care Costs by Adam Cohen, CPA


Posted on January 13, 2021 by Adam Cohen

The COVID-19 pandemic and long-awaited rollout of FDA-approved vaccines this year highlight the importance of planning for rising medical costs and taking advantage of tax breaks, when available, to help you cover some of those expenses. Following are the IRS’s annual cost-of-living adjustments for various provisions of the tax code that relate to health care […]

UPDATED – Did COVID-19 Layoffs Trigger a Partial 401(k) Plan Termination? by Melissa Fleitas, CPA


Posted on January 12, 2021 by Melissa Fleitas

The Consolidations Appropriations Act of 2021, signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020, provides 401(k) sponsors with welcome relief from partial plan terminations that may have otherwise occurred in the wake of COVID-19-related workforce reductions. Background  Under longstanding IRS rules, businesses that lay off 20 percent or more of employees covered by a defined-contribution plan in a […]

It’s Time for Business to Begin Tax Reporting for 2020 by Lewis Taub, CPA


Posted on January 11, 2021 by Lewis Taub

In the rush to put 2020 in the rearview mirror and welcome in the promises of a New Year, employers should remember that there are some critical tax-reporting deadlines they must prepare to meet in the next few weeks. For example, businesses have until Feb. 1, 2021, to file Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statements, and […]