Returning Value Blog

Does your business need real estate to conduct operations? Or does it otherwise hold property and put the title in the name of the business? You may want to rethink this approach. Any short-term benefits may be outweighed by the tax, liability, and estate planning advantages of separating real estate ownership from the business.

Do you own a successful small business with no employees and want to set up a retirement plan? Or do you want to upgrade from a SIMPLE IRA or Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan? Consider a solo 401(k) if you have a healthy self-employment income and want to contribute substantial amounts to a retirement nest egg.

Distinguishing between independent contractors and employees is important for both tax and financial reasons. In order to comply with federal tax laws, you've got to be crystal clear about your workers' status and keep accurate records no matter what. Here's how to distinguish between independent contractors and employees – and why it's important.

In today’s volatile market conditions, it’s important to review your accounts receivable ledger and consider writing off stale, uncollectible accounts. The methods that you’ve used in the past to evaluate bad debts may no longer make sense. Here’s how to keep your allowance up to date.

Now that Labor Day has passed, it’s a good time to think about making moves that may help lower your small business taxes for this year and next. The standard year-end approach of deferring income and accelerating deductions to minimize taxes will likely produce the best results for most businesses, as well as bunching deductible expenses into this year or next to maximize their tax value.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law by President Biden on August 16, contains many provisions related to climate, energy, and taxes. There has been a lot of media coverage about the law's impact on large corporations. For example, the IRA contains a new 15% alternative minimum tax on large, profitable corporations. And the law adds a 1% excise tax on stock buybacks of more than $1 million by publicly traded U.S. corporations.

Cryptocurrencies and the volatility of the digital currency market have garnered a lot of attention in the retirement plan industry over the past few years. The Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a stern warning about cryptocurrencies on investment menus and brokerage platforms within 401(k) plans. Since the release of the warning, third-party plan providers have responded with differing stances on the guidance released. Some 401(k) providers believe that the DOL has gone too far.

Twelve days after Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) announced that they had reached agreement on a healthcare, climate, and tax bill, the U.S. Senate on August 7 approved the Inflation Reduction Act on a party-line vote, with all 50 Democratic Senators voting for the legislation and all Republicans voting against it, and Vice President Kamala Harris casting the decisive 51st vote in favor.

As you’re aware, certain employers are required to report information related to their employees’ health coverage. Does your business have to comply, and if so, what must be done?

Auditors commonly use confirmations to verify such items as cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, employee benefit plans, and pending litigation. Under U.S. Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, an external confirmation is “a direct response to the auditor from a third party either in paper form or by electronic other means, such as through the auditor’s direct access to information held by a third party.”