As the summer months wind down, year-end tax planning will become a hot topic for many client service professionals. Whether it’s the closely held business owner or a high-net-worth individual, income taxes represent a significant outflow for our clients. With top rates of 39.6% on ordinary income, 20% for long-term capital gains plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT), our tax environment requires us to find favorable opportunities that generate tax savings for clients. If not already addressed on a regular basis, year-end planning is the last chance to evaluate opportunities before the year comes to a close. As conversations begin to shift toward year-end planning, here are a few strategies to consider.
A well-managed restaurant doesn’t always guarantee a sound business strategy, but approaching restaurant management with a focus on facts, figures and the future can help in achieving long-term success. When it comes to running your business, financial modeling and long-term planning often get lost in the shuffle of day-to-day troubleshooting and management responsibilities. But for those looking to improve their financial practices and better communicate the restaurant’s potential success and value to lenders and investors, understanding the numbers and using them to effectively plan for long-term sustainability should be a top priority.
In the past, it was difficult to qualify for medical expense deductions. Now, some pundits would say that it is “nearly impossible.” Based on tax law changes that took effect in 2013, most taxpayers can deduct only unreimbursed expenses in excess of 10% of their adjusted gross income (AGI), up from 7.5% of AGI under prior law. For taxpayers who are aged 65 or older, the threshold remains at 7.5% of AGI, but only through 2016.
