Returning Value Blog

State and local governments are revisiting taxpayer compliance with nexus rules and other tax policies, considering new taxes on digital services, and reconsidering conformity with federal tax rules and legislation in an effort to rebuild their economies. The following is an in-depth look at five key state tax issues that taxpayers should begin considering now.

There’s a harsh tax penalty that you could be at risk for paying personally if you own or manage a business with employees. It’s called the “Trust Fund Recovery Penalty,” and it applies to the Social Security and income taxes required to be withheld by a business from its employees’ wages.

The State of Alabama will be participating in the 16th annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday weekend for school-related items.  This special shopping period will start at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 16, 2021, and end at midnight on Sunday, July 18, 2021. 

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has made available $350 Billion to state and local governments to cover the costs incurred as a result of recovery efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Are you eligible to take the deduction for qualified business income (QBI)? Here are 10 facts about this valuable tax break: the pass-through deduction, QBI deduction, or Section 199A deduction. 

As we continue to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be traveling again for business. Under tax law, there are a number of rules for deducting the cost of your out-of-town business travel within the United States. These rules apply if the business conducted out of town reasonably requires an overnight stay.

Businesses need financial information that’s accurate, relevant, and timely. The Securities and Exchange Commission requires publicly traded companies to follow U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), often considered the “gold standard” in financial reporting in the United States. But privately held companies can use simplified alternative accounting methods. What’s right for your business depends on its size, regulatory and contractual requirements, management’s future plans, and the needs of its stakeholders.

Is your business eligible for the ERC?

While the IRS has yet to update its web pages on the new Employee Retention Credit, eligible employers will report their total qualified wages and the related health insurance costs for each quarter on their quarterly employment tax returns, which will be Form 941 for most employers.

Paperless payroll is a paper-free payroll process that has become hugely popular in recent years. But despite the groundswell of support for paperless payroll solutions, employers should examine the details before making the switch. 

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey on May 14, 2021signed House Bill 588 into law, amending the Electing Pass-Through Entity Tax Act ("Act 2021-1") enacted on February 12, 2021. The new law changes the taxable income reporting requirements for pass-through entity (PTE) members and authorizes the Alabama Department of Revenue to waive interest and penalties for underpayments of first-quarter estimated taxes as a result of the bill's retroactive effective date. (For prior coverage of the original version of Act 2021-1, (see Machen McChesney's blog).