When you operate a small business, you have to be flexible to change. The “Cloud” has been one of the biggest changes in small business since the advent of Word and Excel. Let’s face it, we live in a mobile world. From smartphones, to the iPad, to ultrabooks, the times of the PC based …
Tim, who owns his own business, decided he wanted to take a two-week trip around the US. So he did–and was able to legally deduct every dime that he spent on his “vacation”. Here’s how he did it. 1. Make all your business appointments before you leave for your trip. Most people believe that they …
Filing a past due return may not be as difficult as you think. Taxpayers should file all tax returns that are due, regardless of whether full payment can be made with the return. Depending on an individual’s circumstances, a taxpayer filing late may qualify for a payment plan. It is important, however, to know that …
What to Do If You Haven’t Filed an Income Tax Return Read More »
More than 52 percent of businesses today are home-based. Every day, people are striking out and achieving economic and creative independence by turning their skills into dollars. Garages, basements and attics are being transformed into the corporate headquarters of the newest entrepreneurs – home-based businesspeople. And, with technological advances in smartphones, tablets, and iPads as …
If you’re one of the more than 3.4 million taxpayers claimed deductions for business use of a home (commonly referred to as the home office deduction), you might be interested in the new simplified option available for taxpayers starting with the 2013 return most taxpayers file early in 2014. The new optional deduction, recently announced …
Simplified Option for Home Office Deduction in 2013 Read More »
Question: How do I know if I have to file quarterly individual estimated tax payments? Answer: If you owed additional tax for the prior tax year, you may have to make estimated tax payments for the current tax year. If you are filing as a sole proprietor, partner, S corporation shareholder, and/or a self-employed individual, you generally …
If you haven’t contributed funds to an Individual Retirement Arrangement for tax year 2012, or if you’ve put in less than the maximum allowed, you still have time to do so. You can contribute to either a traditional or Roth IRA until the April 15 due date for filing your tax return for 2012, not …
It’s Not Too Late to Make a 2012 IRA Contribution Read More »
Confused about which credits and deductions you can claim on your 2012 tax return? You’re not alone. Even in an ordinary tax year, it’s hard to remember which tax breaks you can take, but the fiscal cliff fiasco this year made it even more difficult to keep everything straight. With that in mind here are …
One of the biggest hurdles you’ll face in running your own business is staying on top of your numerous obligations to federal, state, and local tax agencies. Tax codes seem to be in a constant state of flux making the Internal Revenue Code barely understandable to most people. The old legal saying that “ignorance of …
Whether you’re self-employed or an employee, if you use a car for business, you get the benefit of tax deductions. There are two choices for claiming deductions: Deduct the actual business-related costs of gas, oil, lubrication, repairs, tires, supplies, parking, tolls, drivers’ salaries, and depreciation. Use the standard mileage deduction in 2013 and simply multiply …