Returning Value Blog

Tax Strategist Insight

For individuals seeking to minimize taxes while also transferring wealth to the next generation, the income tax benefits provided under Internal Revenue Code Section 1202 can match up well with estate planning efforts. Section 1202 permits a taxpayer other than a corporation to exclude from taxable income a specified percentage of gain – and potentially the entire gain – from the sale or exchange of “qualified small business stock” (QSBS) held for more than five years. In addition, with proper planning, each recipient of a gift of QSBS is also eligible for the gain exclusion.

Whether you’re operating a new company or an established business, losses can happen. The federal tax code may help soften the blow by allowing businesses to apply losses to offset taxable income in future years, subject to certain limitations.

If you’re the owner of an incorporated business, you know there’s a tax advantage to taking money out of a C corporation as compensation rather than as dividends. The reason: A corporation can deduct the salaries and bonuses that it pays executives, but not dividend payments. Therefore, if funds are paid as dividends, they’re taxed twice, once to the corporation and once to the recipient. Money paid out as compensation is only taxed once — to the employee who receives it.

It may seem that there will always be time to address estate planning. However, a unique opportunity to maximize the amount of wealth that can be tax-efficiently passed to heirs will expire at the end of 2025. Furthermore, legislation could curb lifetime exemption limits even sooner. The opportunity is even more pressing because the current market downturn represents an especially advantageous time to optimize your taxable estate before markets eventually recover.

The Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget, announced on January 30, 2023, that the COVID-19 national emergency and public health emergency that were declared in 2020 will both end on May 11, 2023. As a result, COVID-19 cannot be the reason used to make tax-free “qualified disaster relief payments” to employees (or others) under Internal Revenue Code Sec. 139 for expenses incurred on and after that date.

Last year presented nonprofits with many challenges that will persist into 2023. Ongoing economic volatility, inflation-driven increases in operating costs, and intense competition for talent are among key issues that continue to threaten organizations’ operational and financial wellbeing. 

It can be challenging to keep track of which accounting rules are changing when the changes kick in and for which types of entities. Plus, implementing the necessary revisions to your organization’s procedures and systems often takes time and resources. Here are five updates that go live for certain entities this year.

An array of tax-related limits that affect businesses are indexed annually, and due to high inflation, many have increased more than usual for 2023. Here are some that may be important to you and your business.

Deducting losses is a high-priority item for taxpayers in the highest marginal income tax bracket. The topic will be especially relevant during the 2022 tax compliance season because of recent declines in the stock market and a challenging overall business environment.

Financial reporting isn’t all about profits. Not-for-profit entities can also benefit from implementing formal accounting processes. From preparing budgets and monitoring financial results to paying invoices and handling payroll tax, there’s a lot that falls under the accounting umbrella. Are these tasks, and others, being managed as efficiently at your organization as they could be?