Author Archives: Cordasco
Who in a small business can be hit with the “Trust Fund Recovery Penalty?”
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 … Continue reading
Are you a nonworking spouse? You may still be able to contribute to an IRA
Married couples may not be able to save as much as they need for retirement when one spouse doesn’t work outside the home — perhaps so that spouse can take care of children or elderly parents. In general, an IRA … Continue reading
Can taxpayers who manage their own investment portfolios deduct related expenses? It depends
Do you have significant investment-related expenses, including the cost of subscriptions to financial services, home office expenses and clerical costs? Under current tax law, these expenses aren’t deductible through 2025 if they’re considered investment expenses for the production of income. … Continue reading
Home sales: How to determine your “basis”
The housing market in many parts of the country is strong this spring. If you’re buying or selling a home, you should know how to determine your “basis.” How it works You can claim an itemized deduction on your tax … Continue reading
The deductibility of corporate expenses covered by officers or shareholders
Do you play a major role in a closely held corporation and sometimes spend money on corporate expenses personally? These costs may wind up being nondeductible both by an officer and the corporation unless proper steps are taken. This issue … Continue reading
10 facts about the pass-through deduction for qualified business income
Are you eligible to take the deduction for qualified business income (QBI)? Here are 10 facts about this valuable tax break, referred to as the pass-through deduction, QBI deduction or Section 199A deduction. It’s available to owners of sole proprietorships, … Continue reading
Eligible Businesses: Claim the Employee Retention Tax Credit
The Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) is a valuable tax break that was extended and modified by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), enacted in March of 2021. Here’s a rundown of the rules. Background Back in March of 2020, … Continue reading
IRS audits may be increasing, so be prepared
The IRS just released its audit statistics for the 2020 fiscal year and fewer taxpayers had their returns examined as compared with prior years. But even though a small percentage of returns are being chosen for audit these days, that … Continue reading
There’s currently a “stepped-up basis” if you inherit property — but will it last?
If you’re planning your estate, or you’ve recently inherited assets, you may be unsure of the “cost” (or “basis”) for tax purposes. The current rules Under the current fair market value basis rules (also known as the “step-up and step-down” … Continue reading
Hit or miss: Is your working capital on-target?
Working capital equals the difference between current assets and current liabilities. Organizations need a certain amount of working capital to run their operations smoothly. The optimal (or “target”) amount of working capital depends on the nature of operations and the … Continue reading