Posted on November 03, 2020
Recipients of Social Security benefits, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI), will receive a modest 1.3 percent cost-of-living adjustment in 2021, down from 1.4 percent in 2020, according to a recent announcement from the Social Security Administration. This meager bump during the financial challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic will bring just a few extra […]
Posted on October 20, 2020
by
Heath Standorf
The IRS recently published final regulations regarding the business interest expense deduction limitations introduced in 2017 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and recently updated by the CARES Act. Included in the final regulations are guidance to help taxpayers identify and calculate their interest deduction limitation and FAQs to help them understand if […]
Posted on October 13, 2020
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently issued final regulations that allow decedents’ estates and non-grantor trusts to claim certain deductions that would otherwise have been disallowed under the 2017 overhaul of the tax code. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) barred individuals, estates and non-grantor trusts from claiming miscellaneous itemized deductions for any taxable […]
Posted on September 29, 2020
by
Jack Winter
Job losses and small-business closures are forcing Americans to reconsider the ways in which they earn income and provide for their families during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Some are finding survival by entering the growing gig economy or turning their hobbies into businesses that can generate income in the current economic climate. However, it […]
Posted on September 22, 2020
by
Kevin McNally
Among the millions of American workers filing for unemployment compensation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic are self-employed individuals, independent contractors and part-time workers who otherwise would not qualify for these benefits. While the extension of unemployment assistance to these workers is good news, it is critical for out-of-work individuals to recognize that the […]
Posted on September 08, 2020
by
Karen Lake
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a record number of taxpayers to work from home, creating a sea of new income tax challenges they had not previously been required to consider. Despite all the conveniences of work-from-home (WFH) policies, employees need to prepare themselves for how this new normal will impact their state and federal tax […]
Posted on September 02, 2020
by
Lewis Taub
On Aug. 28, 2020, the IRS issued guidance to help employers carry out the temporary deferral of payroll taxes, which the President introduced three weeks prior as a measure to “put money directly in the pockets of American workers” and kickstart the economy. However, taxpayers should be forewarned that the guidance does not answer all […]
Posted on August 27, 2020
The IRS typically takes about two weeks to process paper tax returns and payments it receives via mail from taxpayers. However, 2020 is far from typical. In the current environment, taxpayers should be prepared for some challenges, some of which the IRS is working to alleviate. Due to the IRS’s temporarily shut down of most […]
Posted on August 24, 2020
by
Adam Cohen
Hurricane season is heating up, and we are reminded of the importance of preparing for the impact of a threatening storm or other natural disaster and planning for short and long-term recovery. One thing that we can rely on every year is that hurricane season will begin on June 1 and run through November 30. […]
Posted on August 06, 2020
by
Joseph Saka
There is no doubt that the COVID-19 health crisis has permeated almost every aspect of life in 2020. According to the IRS, the pandemic has even spread to the agency’s annual list of the 12 most common tax scams criminals use to steal taxpayers’ money and personal information. Following are the “Dirty Dozen” schemes to […]