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Returning Value Blog

Are You a Tax-Favored Real Estate Professional?

Posted by Jessica L. Pagan, CPA on Apr 08, 2025

For federal income tax purposes, the general rule is that rental real estate losses are passive activity losses (PALs). An individual taxpayer can generally deduct PALs only to the extent of passive income from other sources, if any. For example, if you have positive taxable income from other rental properties, that generally counts as passive income. You can use PALs to offset passive income from other sources, which amounts to being able to currently deduct them.

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Posted in Individual Tax

5 QuickBooks Reports to Review Each Month

Posted by Chris Earnest on Apr 07, 2025

Understanding your business’s financial health is essential for long-term success. QuickBooks® offers a powerful reporting tool suite that can provide critical insights to support decision-making and help you comply with accounting and tax rules.

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Posted in Accounting & Outsourcing

How a Business Owner's Home Office Can Result in Tax Deductions

Posted by Murry Guy, CPA on Mar 26, 2025

As a business owner, you may be eligible to claim home office tax deductions that will reduce your taxable income. However, it’s crucial to understand the IRS rules to ensure compliance and avoid potential IRS audit risks. There are two methods for claiming this tax break: the actual expense method and the simplified method. Here are answers to frequently asked questions about the tax break.

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Posted in Business Tax

Ratio Rundown: Use Financial Benchmarking to Unlock Profitability, Efficiency, and Growth

Posted by Michael D. Machen, CPA, CVA on Mar 25, 2025

Financial statements tell a powerful story about your business. However, they can seem like an overwhelming collection of figures without proper analysis. Financial benchmarking studies can help you identify historical trends, pinpoint areas for improvement, and forecast future performance with greater confidence.

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Posted in Business Advisory

6 Practical Tips to Lower Business Travel Expenses

Posted by Nick Wheeler, CPA on Mar 21, 2025

Travel remains a critical expense for many businesses, whether for client meetings, networking, industry conferences or sales opportunities. However, travel and entertainment (T&E) costs can quickly spiral out of control, cutting into profits. Consider taking these six proactive measures to keep T&E costs in check.

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Posted in Business Tax

Planning for the Future: 5 Business Succession Options and Their Tax Implications

Posted by Lesley L. Price, CPA on Mar 20, 2025

When it’s time to consider your business’s future, succession planning can protect your legacy and successfully set up the next generation of leaders or owners. Whether you’re ready to retire, you wish to step back your involvement or you want a solid contingency plan should you unexpectedly be unable to run the business, exploring different succession strategies is key.Here are five options to consider, along with some of the tax implications.

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Posted in Business Advisory

Retaining Payroll Records

Posted by Amber Cochran on Mar 14, 2025

Let's start by reviewing what federal law requires you to retain:

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Posted in Payroll, HR & Benefits

Tackling Risk Management With a Proactive Approach

Posted by Aaron K. Waller, CPA on Mar 13, 2025

Risks are unavoidable in today’s volatile, uncertain marketplace. However, proactive owners and executives can manage business risks more effectively with an enterprise risk management (ERM) framework. A structured approach helps organizations anticipate risks, seize opportunities, and build resilience.

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Posted in Audit & Assurance

FAQ About Reporting Subsequent Events

Posted by Melissa Motley, CPA on Mar 11, 2025

Subsequent events are in the spotlight these days. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) recently initiated a project to modernize outdated auditing standards related to these events. The PCAOB says the audit guidance hasn’t kept pace with changes in financial reporting frameworks, risk assessment methodologies, and technological advancements. This has resulted in inconsistencies in how companies account for post-balance-sheet developments in their financial statements.

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Posted in Audit & Assurance

Harness the Power of QuickBooks for Your Business

Posted by Chris Earnest on Mar 10, 2025

Accurate financial records help business owners manage cash flow, tax obligations, and strategic planning. QuickBooks® is one of the most widely used bookkeeping software solutions for small and midsize businesses, offering a comprehensive suite of tools designed to simplify financial management and support business growth.

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Posted in Accounting & Outsourcing

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