Returning Value Blog

As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, trends in the life insurance industry remain unpredictable. Policy sales have changed substantially, payouts have soared to levels not seen in over a century, and clients have grown more accustomed to personalized digital experiences. As COVID-19 vaccination rates rise and the economic recovery continues, life insurers are embracing new digital practices to meet a new set of customer expectations.

Financial statements look at historical performance. But there are times when you want forward-looking reports to help your business make strategic investment decisions, evaluate the viability of a turnaround plan or apply for a loan. Your accountant can help ensure the assumptions underlying prospective financial statements make sense in today’s volatile marketplace.

What are the tax consequences of selling property used in your trade or business?

The federal government is helping to pick up the tab for certain business meals. Under a provision that’s part of one of the COVID-19 relief laws, the usual deduction for 50% of the cost of business meals is doubled to 100% for food and beverages provided by restaurants in 2022 (and 2021).

Typically, businesses want to delay the recognition of taxable income into future years and accelerate deductions into the current year. But when is it prudent to do the opposite? And why would you want to?

The credit for increasing research activities, often referred to as the research and development (R&D) credit, is a valuable tax break available to eligible businesses. Claiming the credit involves complex calculations, which we can take care of for you. But in addition to the credit itself, be aware that the credit also has two features that are especially favorable to small businesses:

If you’re in business for yourself as a sole proprietor or planning to start a business, you need to know about the tax aspects of your venture. Here are eight important issues to consider:

Given the popularity of gift cards among both issuers and recipients, restauranteurs should understand the pros and cons of selling and issuing gift cards.

If you’re an employer with a business where tipping is customary for providing food and beverages, you may qualify for a federal tax credit involving the Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes that you pay on your employees’ tip income.

Forecasting how your company is likely to perform over the next year can be challenging, especially when it’s unclear where the markets are heading. But accurate forecasts are critical when managing a business. For example, they may be used to order inventory, hire additional workers, apply for loans and credit lines, and evaluate investment alternatives.