The IRS and Customer Service

If you have ever had to directly call the IRS then you know how difficult it can be to contact them. And it is predicted to only get worse. Be prepared to be very patient. During the fiscal year 2013, the IRS answered only 61% of its taxpayers phone calls. That equated to 20,000,000 ( yes that’s millions) unanswered phone …

May 2015 Tax Calendar for Businesses and Self-Employed

Fr    1   Deposit payroll tax for payments on Apr 25-27 if the semiweekly deposit rule applies. We  6   Deposit payroll tax for payments on Apr 29-May 1 if the semiweekly deposit rule applies. Fr     8  Deposit payroll tax for payments on May 2-5 if the semiweekly deposit rule applies. Mo 11   Employers:  Employees are required to report to you tips of …

Guaranteed Loser

 You’ve bought a lottery ticket or two in your time, right? The Powerball jackpot hits a kajillion dollars, and you realize you really can’t win if you don’t play. So you buy a ticket or two just to nurse that fantasy of champagne wishes and caviar dreams. Forget the reality that most lottery players never win, and even the ones …

Social Security Wage Base Increases to $117,000 for 2014

The Social Security Administration has announced that the wage base for computing the Social Security tax (OASDI) in 2014 increases to $117,000 from $113,700, which was the wage base for 2013. The $3,300 increase, which is about 2.9%, is due to an increase in average total wages. The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) imposes two taxes on employers, employees, and …

2015 Health Care Requirements for Small Business- “Obamacare”

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT   Obamacare requires a significant amount of new reporting and recording, as of 1/1/2015.  Here are some of the guidelines to which we would like to draw your attention.  This may apply to your company if 1.  you have fewer than 50 employees or 2.  you have fewer than 50 employees but are a member of an ownership …

The Postman Always Rings Twice

 Getting mail from the IRS is rarely something to celebrate. If it’s a bill, consider yourself lucky — at least you can just pay it and be done. If it’s a “CP 2000” notice proposing a change to your taxes, get ready for a ride on the paperwork tilt-a-whirl. If it’s an audit notice, all bets are off. (Relax — …

New Health Laws Yield New Tax Forms- Part 3

If you were uninsured for all of, or part of, 2014, you may have to pay a penalty when you file your return.  There are many exemptions available for this penalty, such as a hardship exemption if you had high medical expenses.  There are also exemptions for brief lapses in coverage or if coverage would cost more than 8% of …

New Health Laws Yield New Tax Forms- Part 2

If you received subsidies in 2014 to reduce the cost of health care from the marketplace, you should receive Form 1095-A. Form 1095-A shows the tax credits the insurer received on your behalf.  You should receive this form by January 31. This document must be received in order to complete your 2014 tax return.  If you have not received it …

The Impact of Speaker Boehner’s Millionaire Tax

‘Here’s an interesting article on the Millionaire Tax written by the Tax Foundation and sent to us from Tax Coach. The Impact of Speaker Boehner’s Millionaire Tax Tax Foundation Fiscal Fact No. 347 By Stephen J. Entin & William McBride, PhD Washington, D.C., December 20, 2012 â€œIn the most recent twist of the fiscal cliff negotiations, Speaker Boehner has offered to …