Returning Value Blog

Stakeholder demands for companies to commit to clear environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals and targets have become commonplace.

In addition to strengthening stakeholder relationships, setting goals and targets can help companies further their corporate sustainability strategies, improve operational and financial performance, enhance credibility, and achieve other benefits.

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.

If your profitable business has trouble making ends meet, it’s not alone. Many business owners mistakenly equate profits with cash flow, leading to shortfalls in the checking account. The truth is that there are many reasons these numbers might differ.

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.  

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the third quarter of 2023. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements.

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.

Your business may be able to claim big first-year depreciation tax deductions for eligible real estate expenditures rather than depreciate them over several years. But should you? It’s not as simple as it may seem.

Not-for-profit organizations exist to achieve nonfinancial or philanthropic goals, not to make money or build value for investors. But they still need to monitor their financial health — that is, how much funding is coming in from donations and grants and how much the organization is spending on payroll, rent, and other operating expenses.

Each company’s path toward sustainability is unique but effective environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies and programs have something in common — they help companies better navigate uncertainty and cultivate resiliency.

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers with tipped workers can take a "tip credit," which allows them to pay tipped workers less than the federal minimum wage if the employees' tips make up the difference.