Returning Value Blog

The U.S. government has repeatedly revised the requirements for U.S. taxpayers to claim the Employee Retention Credit ("ERC"), also commonly known as the Employee Retention Tax Credit, since its initial codification into law. As a result, many eligible taxpayers have been left uncertain as to whether they may properly claim this often-valuable tax credit. Because there is a strict statute of limitations on claiming the ERC, potentially eligible taxpayers that have not already claimed the ERC should review their eligibility under current U.S. law as soon as possible.  

Many businesses use independent contractors to help keep their costs down — especially in these times of staff shortages and inflationary pressures. If you’re among them, be careful that these workers are properly classified for federal tax purposes. If the IRS reclassifies them as employees, it can be an expensive mistake.

Many businesses in certain industries employ individuals who receive tips as part of their compensation. These businesses include restaurants, hotels, and salons.

With the 2023 filing season deadline drawing near, be aware that the deadline for businesses to file information returns for hired workers is even closer. By January 31, 2023, employers must file these forms:

Although the national gas price is a bit lower than it was a year ago, the optional standard mileage rate used to calculate the deductible cost of operating an automobile for business will increase in 2023. The IRS recently announced that the 2023 cents-per-mile rate for the business use of a car, van, pickup, or panel truck is 65.5 cents. These rates apply to electric and hybrid-electric automobiles, as well as gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles.

If you own a business, you may wonder if you’re eligible to take the qualified business income (QBI) deduction. Sometimes this is referred to as the pass-through deduction or the Section 199A deduction.

If you ask some business owners why they do things a certain way, they might answer, “Because we’ve always done it that way.” But with all the changes that have taken place in the financial and accounting realm, doing things the way you’ve always done them could be costing your business in terms of lost efficiency and profits. Here are five considerations to help modernize your accounting processes and systems.

Learn how to create an effective payroll budget to avoid wondering how and where your money was spent. Creating a payroll budget helps you understand what percentage of your budget should go to payroll and enables you to stay on track throughout the year. Generally, payroll should account for about 15% to 30% of your company’s gross income, but with service industries, costs can be as high as 50%.

The endgame is accurate and timely employee paychecks. How do you get there? Have a payroll plan that outlines what the procedures are to get to your goal.

Bookkeeping is essential to running a business. QuickBooks® is one of the most popular software programs for this purpose because it offers numerous features that other programs may not have.