Why Proactive Planning is More Important Than You Realize

There's an old saying that reminds us "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Whoever coined that phrase was talking about the world of small business accounting whether they realized it or not.

Financial and tax literacy aren't just an important part of running a business. They're literally the foundation upon which everything else is built. Tax literacy helps to make sure that you're not only taking care of your obligations but that you're not paying more money than you should ultimately have to. Financial literacy helps to avoid problems like cash flow issues which could cause even a seemingly successful business to close prematurely.

These are also important concepts to know for individuals, too. It helps avoid problems like not budgeting properly, they can help you understand the true impact of inflation and more. All of this is in the name of avoiding common problems that typically hold people back.

But the thing to understand is that these are not skills that you're born with - you have to be proactive about learning them. You also want to make sure that you have the right partner by your side to help make this process as easy as possible.

The Power of a Well-Laid Plan

One of the major reasons why planning is so crucial in this context is because it helps avoid one of the single biggest problems that both businesses and individuals often face: not budgeting properly.

Indeed, the lack of a sound (and realistic) budget is often one of the major contributors to money problems for most people. When no semblance of a plan is in place, it's far too easy to overspend. It's also likely that you're not paying nearly as much attention to your finances as you should be. This in turn leads to a significant amount of financial stress, which isn't something that you can just get rid of overnight.

What people don't realize is that by coming up with a plan and creating that budget, it can actually put them closer to their goals - not farther away from them. Yes, it may take a bit of additional time to make that big purchase, but you're not going to overspend. You're not going to use funds that were allocated for something more important. You can also see the progress you've made and how far you have left to go, which can help create a much-needed perspective on the entire situation.

Another way in which financial and tax literacy - along with planning - can help both businesses and individuals comes down to avoiding the dreaded trap of "living paycheck to paycheck." It's something that far too many private citizens know all about, and it can even rear its ugly head for business owners, too, albeit in a slightly different context.

For individuals, it's safe to say that they're up against a number of hurdles in addition to a lack of financial literacy. The current job market is nothing if not rough. Economic uncertainty abounds, especially given everything going on right now with the war in Ukraine.

But at the same time, you have to start somewhere - and that "somewhere" involves gaining the knowledge you need to take control of your finances. Not everyone has the opportunity to earn extra income - like by picking up a second job or by moving to a new position that pays more.

Instead, try prioritizing your interests in a way that better aligns with the funds you do have available. Sure, private citizens may want to travel more or purchase a larger home, but your plan may illustrate to you that it just isn't in the cards right now.

The same is true of businesses - you may want to aggressively expand into a new market, but doing so without some type of plan in place is little more than a recipe for disaster.

In the end, financial and tax literacy are two of the most important elements of our society that people just aren't paying enough attention to. But by making an effort to understand your situation and the world around you, you'll find yourself in a much better financial position than the one you were in when you started.

If you'd like to find out more information about why proactive planning is far more important than you may realize, or if you just have any additional questions that you'd like to go over with someone in a bit more detail, contact your tax preparer for this tax year NOW!

Highlights of College Savings Plans (Sec 529 Plans)

The Qualified State Tuition Plan, often referred to as the Sec 529 Plan, is a tax-beneficial incentive for parents, grandparents, and others to save money for an individual’s future college tuition and fees. There is no federal tax deduction for making contributions. But the tax benefit of these plans is that the earnings within the plan accumulate tax-deferred and then are tax-free when withdrawn if used for college tuition and related qualified expenses. Let’s take a simplified example.

Example: Jo’s parents establish a 529 plan when she is age 5, and contribute $10,000 to the plan. The $10,000 is invested in mutual funds that pay dividends of $400 per year. The tax on the dividends is deferred until the time when funds are withdrawn from the plan, and only payable if the distribution isn’t used for eligible education expenses. Let’s say that Jo enters college in 13 years and with the dividends earned over those years and an increase in the value of the original $10,000 to $15,000, the account is worth $20,200. Jo’s tuition and related expenses for her first semester is $25,000. The entire $20,200 is withdrawn to pay those expenses, so none of the dividends received and none of the $5,000 gain in the value of the account will be taxable. If Jo’s parents were in a 24% tax bracket, the tax savings by investing in the 529 plan compared to putting $10,000 in a regular brokerage account will be at least $1,530. The benefit would be compounded if more than $10,000 was contributed to the 529 plan.  

Contributions - To maximize the tax benefits of a plan, it should be established for a child as soon after birth as possible when funds are available for contribution. For tax purposes, there is no limit on the amount that can be contributed, but contributions are considered gifts and each individual contributing to a plan would have to file a gift tax return if the gift exceeds the annual inflation-adjusted gift tax exclusion, which is $16,000 for 2022 (up from $15,000 for years 2018 through 2021). 

A special gift provision permits a contributor to contribute up to 5 times the annual gift tax exclusion amount to a qualified tuition account in a single year and treat the contribution as having been made over the five-year period beginning with the calendar year in which the contribution is made. Why would someone want to do this? Because by front-loading the contributions, they would accelerate the accumulation of earnings within the account. When making 5 years’ worth of 529 plan contributions in one year, a gift tax return is required in the year of contribution. If the contributor dies within the 5-year period, any amount contributed that is applicable to the years within the five-year period remaining after the year of the contributor’s death are able to be included in the contributor’s gross estate for estate tax purposes. 

Although the income and gift tax laws don’t cap how much can be contributed to a qualified tuition plan, the 529 plans do limit the maximum amount that can be contributed per beneficiary based on the projected cost of a college education, and the maximum amount will vary between plans, though most have limits in excess of $200,000, with some topping $475,000. Generally, once an account reaches that level, additional contributions cannot be made, but that doesn’t prevent the account from continuing to grow.

Modifications – Since originating these plans, Congress has continued to modify the purpose of the plans by allowing plan funds to be used for more than just college tuition and fees. Over the years, they have allowed plan funds to be spent on additional expenses, including books, supplies, equipment, reasonable room and board, and computer technology. 

More recently, the following qualified expenses were added: 

• Elementary and Secondary School Tuition Expenses – The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017) included a provision that treats withdrawals from 529 plans for elementary or secondary school (kindergarten through grade 12) tuition expenses as qualified expenses. However, the annual withdrawal for each beneficiary is limited to $10,000 (regardless of the number of 529 plans in the beneficiary’s name). This special $10,000 amount applies only for tuition (not books, supplies, room and board, etc.) paid to public, private or religious schools. 

Be Cautious – Since the greatest tax benefit and primary goal of these plans is accumulating tax-deferred investment income, which then can be withdrawn tax-free to pay qualified education expenses, using these funds too early will not achieve that desired goal. Thus, you should carefully consider whether to use the funds for elementary and secondary school education expenses or to wait and tap the account for post-secondary education, with the latter choice maximizing investment income.

• Apprenticeship Expenses – The category of qualified expenses was expanded by the Secure Act to include fees, books, supplies, and equipment required to participate in registered apprenticeship programs certified by the Secretary of Labor under Sec 1 of the National Apprenticeship Act, effective for distributions made in years after 2018. 

• Repayment of Student Loans – Another Secure Act addition to 529 plan qualified expenses is effective for distributions after 2018 of up to $10,000–a lifetime limit–that may be used to pay the principal and interest on qualified higher education loans of the designated beneficiary or a sibling of the designated beneficiary. To prevent double-dipping, Sec 529 plan distributions used to pay interest on the education loan cannot be used for the above-the-line deduction allowed for student loan interest. 

In addition to 529 plans Congress has also provided tax credits to help fund a child’s college education, though the rules for these credits aren’t entirely straight-forward. For example, one favorable twist of the tax code allows a grandparent (or others) to directly pay to the educational institution the child’s tuition without being subject to the gift limitations or reporting. On top of that, assuming the child is a dependent of their parent, the parent may qualify for a higher education credit even though the grandparent paid the tuition. The parent’s eligibility depends on their income, since the credits phase out once the adjusted gross income of the individual claiming the credit exceeds an amount based on filing status and the type of credit claimed.   

If you need assistance with long-term education planning, give your tax consultant a call soon!

Toss Your Paystub Every Week? Maybe It’s Time To Take a Closer Look

What you do with your paystub often depends on how you get paid. If you have direct deposit there’s a good chance that you just rip the entire thing up without a glance, confident in the fact that the money is in your bank account and all is good in your world. If you deposit your check, you probably rip off the bottom without a glance and toss it on your way into the bank or at the drive-through window. But the fact that you’ve been paid doesn’t mean that the information on your paystub isn’t important. There are good reasons for taking a closer look at the information that’s provided, and for understanding what it all means.

The most important reason to double-check your paystub is to make sure that you’re being paid correctly and that the right amount of money is being withheld on your behalf by your employer. You know better than anybody what your income is supposed to be, and mistakes do happen, but you won’t know if you don’t check. Plenty of people have found out the hard way – at tax time – that their employer hasn’t been withholding the amount that they wanted them to, and they end up with a shortfall that they have to make up.  

Another good reason for looking at your paystub is to understand exactly where your money is going and what it is funding. We all remember the shock of receiving our first paycheck and finding out that it came to far less than what we thought it would be based on our salary or hourly wages. We were told it was taxes … but do you know what that really means? The information provided below should provide a better understanding of what those deductions from your gross income are, and where they are going.

Breakdown of Paystub Information:

Unfortunately, there is no one set format for paystubs. In fact, some states don’t even require employers to provide their employees with the specifics of where their money is going each week. For those who do receive paper records of their withholding amounts and more, here’s what you’re likely to find, and what it means.

Wages – This is one of the most important pieces of information on your paystub. Whether you are paid a salary or an hourly basis, the wage portion of your paystub will provide you with what the gross amount is that you’re being paid, what portion of those wages are taxable, and what your net income/check amount is. Most stubs will reflect both the wages for the pay period and the year-to-date totals.

Taxes – Every citizen is obligated to pay a portion of their income to the federal government, as well as any applicable state and local taxes. This money is used to pay for both services and administrative costs. Deductions will also be taken for the FICA tax that pays into the Social Security Administration and Medicare. Though the taxpayer may not currently be benefiting from these programs, the idea is that everybody will be eventually, and those who are working pay for those who no longer are.

Non-Taxed Deductions – Most paystubs will also reflect deductions taken from your pay for items that are not taxable. This may include contributions to a 401(k) retirement account or money that you direct into other pre-tax accounts. 

Benefits – If you receive benefits such as health insurance, life insurance, sick time, and vacation time, your employer may provide information on your paystub about how much they pay on your behalf, or how much you have elected to pay for options such as a specific level of insurance coverage. 

Additional Deductions – You may also see deductions taken for other items that you have requested, such as Health Savings Account contributions, parking passes, childcare expenses, and more. All of these line items should be for selections that you have agreed to. If you do not recognize an expense, it’s a good idea to check with your Human Resources department and ask them to identify it.

Knowing what you’re earning and where your money goes is just the first step to economic stability and understanding. If you or your spouse needs help filling out a new W-4 for their employer, contact your tax preparer now! Don’t wait until the end of the year, it will be too late!

How Long Should You Keep Old Tax Reports?

This is a common question: How long must taxpayers keep copies of their income tax returns and supporting documents?

Generally, individuals should hold on to their income tax records for at least 3 years after the due date of the return to which those records apply. However, if the original return was filed later than the due date, including if the taxpayer received an extension, the actual filing date is substituted for the due date. A few other circumstances can require taxpayers to keep these records for longer than 3 years.

The statute of limitations in many states is 1 year longer than in the federal statute. This is because the IRS provides state tax authorities with federal audit results. The extra year gives the states adequate time to assess taxes based on any federal tax adjustments.

In addition to the potential confusion caused by the state statutes, the federal 3-year rule has a number of exceptions that cloud the recordkeeping issue:

• The assessment period is extended to 6 years if a taxpayer omits more than 25% of his or her gross income on a tax return.

• The IRS can assess additional taxes without regard to time limits if a taxpayer (a) doesn’t file a return, (b) files a false or fraudulent return to evade taxation, or (c) deliberately tries to evade tax in any other manner.

• The IRS has unlimited time to assess additional tax when a taxpayer files an unsigned return.

If none of these exceptions apply to you, then for federal purposes, you can probably discard most of your tax records that are more than 3 years old; however, you may need to add a year or more if you live in a state with a statute of longer duration.

Examples: Susan filed her 2018 tax return before the due date of April 15, 2019. She will be able to safely dispose of most of her tax records after April 15, 2022. On the other hand, Don filed his 2018 return on June 1, 2019. He needs to keep his records at least until June 1,2022. In both cases, the taxpayers should keep their records a year or more beyond those dates if their states have statutes of limitations that are longer than 3 years. 

Important note: Although you can discard backup records, do not throw away the copies of any filed tax returns or W-2s. Often, these returns provide data that can be used in future tax-return calculations or to prove the amounts of property transactions, Social Security benefits, and so on. You should also keep certain records for longer than 3 years:

• Stock acquisition data. If you own stock in a corporation, keep the purchase records for at least 4 years after selling the stock. The purchase data is needed to prove the amount of profit (or loss) that you had on the sale.

• Statements for stocks and mutual funds with reinvested dividends. Many taxpayers use the dividends that they receive from a stock or mutual fund to buy more shares of the same stock or fund. These reinvested amounts add to the basis of the property and reduce the gain when it is eventually sold. Keep these statements for at least 4 years after final sale.

• Tangible property purchase and improvement records. Keep records of home, investment, rental-property or business-property acquisitions, as well as all related capital improvements, for at least 4 years after the underlying property is sold.

• Sales that create loss carryovers. If you sell stock, mutual funds or investment property at a loss, and your total capital loss for the sale year isn’t fully absorbed by capital gains plus $3,000, the excess loss may be carried forward to be used on the next year’s return and even beyond, depending on the amount of the loss. The IRS could require proof of the original loss if a carry forward year’s return is audited, even many years after the original loss year. So, not only should you keep the return copies to account for the use of the carryforward loss, you should also retain the records to substantiate the original loss until the carryover amount is fully used up, and for at least 4 years after the last year for which a loss is deducted.

Tax return copies from prior years are also useful for the following:

• Verifying Income. Lenders require copies of past tax returns on loan applications.

• Validate Identity. Taxpayers who use tax-filing software products for the first time may need to provide their adjusted gross incomes from prior years’ tax returns to verify their identities.

The IRS Can Provide Copies of Prior-Year Returns - Taxpayers who have misplaced a copy of a prior year’s return can order a tax transcript from the IRS. This transcript summarizes the return information and includes AGI. This service is free and is available for the most current tax year once the IRS has processed the return. These transcripts are also available for the past 6 years’ returns. When ordering a transcript, always plan ahead, as online and phone orders typically take 5 to 10 days to fulfill. Mail orders of transcripts can take 30 days (75 days for full tax returns). There are three ways to order a transcript:

·        Online Using Get Transcript. Use Get Transcript Online on IRS.gov to view, print or download a copy for any of the transcript types. Users must authenticate their identities using the Secure Access process. Taxpayers who are unable to register or who prefer not to use Get Transcript Online may use Get Transcript by Mail to order a tax return or account transcript.

·        By phone. The number is 800-908-9946.

·        By mail. Taxpayers can complete and send either Form 4506-T or Form 4506T-EZ to the IRS to receive a transcript by mail.

Those who need an actual copy of a tax return can get one for the current tax year and for as far back as 6 years. The fee is $43 per copy (the fee is subject to change, so verify it on the current form). Complete Form 4506 to request a copy of a tax return and mail that form to the appropriate IRS office (which is listed on the form).

If you have questions about which records you should retain and which ones you can dispose of, please give us an email.

Remember folks, never take advice from strangers on the internet! Always talk to your own tax preparer about your specific situation. These posts are meant to educate and inform, and aren't to be taken as actionable advice.

Tax Planning with Mutual Funds

Ten ideas to maximize the benefits of your investments

Mutual funds benefit from the long-standing belief that they allow investors to diversify their holdings without buying individual stocks. But to the unwary investor, tax surprises abound. From a tax planning viewpoint, here are some great mutual fund tips. Most of these tips assume your mutual fund investment is not in a retirement account like a 401(k) or traditional IRA, unless otherwise noted.

1. Recordkeeping is important. Keep good records of every transaction. While brokers are now required to report your cost basis to the IRS, the information they provide may be in error. It's best to develop a digital or paper filing system to confirm the accuracy of what your broker is reporting.

2. The IRS wants your cost basis. Know what each share of your mutual fund costs you. This basis includes any costs related to the transaction like brokerage fees. It can get pretty complicated as your mutual fund buys and sells shares in underlying individual equities that make up the mutual fund. It is even more complex if your mutual fund automatically reinvests any dividends.

3. Transfers could cause a tax event. Ask your broker or agent if there will be a capital gain if you transfer mutual fund shares from one account to another. What appears to be a transfer may actually be a sale of shares in one fund and a purchase of shares in another. This can create a taxable event if not handled properly.

4. Long-term gains create a potential tax benefit. Whenever possible, time your sales to avoid short-term capital gains (assets that are held less than one year). Short-term capital gains are taxed as ordinary income, whereas long-term capital gains often have a lower tax rate.

5. Time your sales to account for dividend distributions. If you've owned appreciated mutual fund shares for more than 12 months and want to sell, find out when your fund distributes dividends. Dividend tax rates could apply and may be very high. Selling before the dividend payout may keep all your earnings as long-term capital gains.

6. Dividend distributions can impact the fund’s value. Similarly, if you've had your eye on a particular fund, understand the historic payout of dividends. The cost of the mutual fund might be artificially higher right before a dividend payout. To make matters worse, you may even get a dividend distribution that is taxed at higher ordinary income tax rates for gains that occurred before you purchased the mutual fund.

7. Take advantage of tax-deferred investments. Maximize your contributions to tax-deferred plans, especially those with matching contributions from your employer.

8. Plan withdrawals from retirement accounts to be tax-efficient. Remember withdrawals from mutual funds within retirement accounts like 401(k)s and traditional IRAs are taxed as ordinary income. Because of this you should plan for your withdrawals to be as tax-efficient as possible.

9. Charitable gifts of mutual funds have a tax benefit. As with individual stocks, consider donating appreciated mutual fund shares instead of cash. Tax laws allow you to deduct the full market value of the higher share price without having to claim a taxable gain on the appreciation of the share value.

10. Look at mutual fund costs. Disclosure rules require fund managers to adequately display the costs associated with each mutual fund. All things being equal, consider these operating costs when deciding between similarly performing mutual funds in a category.

Remember folks, never take advice from strangers on the internet! Always talk to your own tax preparer about your specific situation. These posts are meant to educate and inform, and aren't to be taken as actionable advice.

35 Million: The Total Backlog of Tax Returns The IRS Had At The End Of Tax Season

The Internal Revenue Service has released a midyear report to Congress that details a significant backlog of tax returns dating back to the end of tax filing season, and many of those returns have yet to be processed. While backlogs are not unusual, this year’s is far greater than in previous years.

That’s bad news for those taxpayers who are eagerly waiting for tax refunds. For tax year 2020, roughly 70 percent of the individual returns that have already been processed have resulted in refunds being paid. Those refunds have averaged $2,827.00, but there were still more than 35 million returns for last year that had not yet been addressed by mid-May. An independent advocacy group within the IRS says that at the same point in time the previous year, there were a third the number of backlogged returns as now.

In writing the report, national taxpayer advocate Erin M. Collins said, “For taxpayers who can afford to wait, the best advice is to be patient and give the I.R.S. time to work through its processing backlog. But particularly for low-income taxpayers and small businesses operating on the margin, refund delays can impose significant financial hardships.”

The agency issued a statement indicating that by June 18th, two months after the official filing deadline, almost seven million individual tax returns had been processed bringing the backlog down to near 28 million. Their work is ongoing continuously, addressing both current returns, those from previous years, and amended returns.  More than twice that many are currently being processed. 

Backlogs have been a problem in the past, but an evacuation order issued as a result of the pandemic kept IRS employees out of processing facilities, and that and the need to incorporate new tax legislation passed for the 2021 filing season has made things far worse. The agency was also responsible for sending out the third stimulus payment, bringing the total value of payments to $807 billion and the number processed over a 15-month period to 475 million. 

While 2019 saw a backlog of 7.4 million returns at the close of tax filing season and 2020’s backlog reached 10.7 million, 2021’s 35 million return backlog has led to several recommendations and objectives being issued to improve things in the future.

A large number of tax returns were processed before the tax filing deadline, and of those 136 million returns, 96 million required that refunds totaling about $270 billion be paid. Both individual returns and business returns are included in the 35.3 million that still need to be processed, and those in the backlog all require additional intervention from an IRS employee in order to be processed.

So what does this all mean for you, the taxpayer? It means get out your patience and hold on! The IRS will get to your return, but with Covid back on the rise with the Delta variant and a new tax season on the horizon, things will likely get worse before they get better. 

To check on your return you can pull your transcripts on irs.gov once you login to your account. You can also use the Refunds Tool on irs.gov. 

Remember folks, never take advice from strangers on the internet! Always talk to your own tax preparer about your specific situation. These posts are meant to educate and inform, and aren't to be taken as actionable advice.

Understanding Tax Terms: Installment Sales

If you use an installment sale to help sell property, you can benefit from tax deferral and possibly lower your overall tax bill. But you need to watch out for certain tax traps if you do.

Installment sale defined

Generally, you create an installment sale when you receive payments for sold property in the tax year of the sale and at least one other tax year. For instance, if you sell real estate for a profit in 2021 and receive payments in 2021 through 2026, your real estate transaction is an installment sale.

Tax implications

An installment sale creates a tax event in each year you receive payments. In the above example, part of your gain is taxable in 2021 and each year through 2026.

Note that property held longer than one year qualifies for favorable capital gains tax treatment. The current tax rate on long-term capital gains is from 0 to 20 percent, compared with the top ordinary income tax bracket of 37 percent.

You also have the ability to pay all the tax due on the sale up-front, to avoid paying tax on the installments in future years. In some cases you'll reduce your overall tax bill this way, though it may require some help with tax planning.

Benefits of an installment sale

With an installment sale, you may be able to lower your total tax on the sale of the property by spreading this income out over several years. In addition, the buyer will often pay a rate of interest to you higher than a typical bank loan for the remainder of the amount due.

Installment sale tax traps

Related parties caution. If you sell property to a related party and the property is then disposed of within two years, in most cases, all the remaining tax comes due immediately. The tax law definition of related parties is more expansive than you might think. It includes:

• Spouses

• Children

• Grandchildren

• Siblings

• Parents

• A partnership or corporation in which you have a controlling interest

• An estate or trust you’re connected to

To avoid this major tax surprise, consider stipulating in the contract that the property can’t be disposed of within two years.

Depreciation recapture potential. Also, be cautious if you took any depreciation on the property in prior years. In some circumstances, you will owe extra tax related to that depreciation when you sell the property.

Gains not losses. Be aware that installment sale treatment is only available for gains, not losses. Other special rules may apply, so reach out if you need advice specific to your situation.

Of course, tax discussions now in Congress might impact how installment sales and long-term capital gains are taxed in the future. If you're planning an installment sale, consider reaching out for a consultation to discuss the tax implications.