2020 made us all look long and hard at the current state of our business industries and our personal finances. And with that came new laws and tax breaks that you may be eligible for. Charitable Contribution Tax Breaks The Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Relief Act of 2020 allows you to take up to $300 in charitable contributions as a tax deduction for the tax years 2020 and 2021, without itemizing. This change was made to help charities that were struggling during the pandemic, which means your charitable giving benefits you while also helping spur more momentum for philanthropy in these difficult times. It’s also worth noting that if you are able to itemize your charitable giving, the CARES Act allows you to deduct 100% of your adjusted Gross Income (AGI) in 2021, rather than the standard 60% deduction rate. Credit for Health Insurance Costs If your medical expenses exceed 7.5% of your AGI, and you itemize your deductions, you can deduct them. This percentage was set to go up in 2021 to 10%, but the passing of the latest act made this lower rate permanent. Medical expenses could include things like medical office fees, dental expenses, copays, health insurance payments, eyeglasses and eye exams, and more. You can also get a refundable credit (known as the HCTC or health coverage tax credit) that equals 72.5% of premiums paid by certain taxpayers for coverage of the individual and any qualifying family members under qualified health insurance. Temporary – Full Deduction of Business Meals For 2021 and 2022, the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Relief Act has provided a 100% deduction for business meal food and beverage expenses, which is a big jump from previous years where the standard deduction was 50%. Keep in mind, this provision is still considered temporary. Saver’s Tax Credit If you are 18 or older and you make eligible contributions to your IRA or employer-sponsored retirement plan in tax year 2021, you can claim 10%, 20%, or 50% of your …
Tax Pro Tips for the Self-Employed
Worried you aren’t taking advantage of all the tax benefits for self-employed individuals? Here are some tax pro tips for you! Home Office & Business-Related Deductions Home office deductions are some of the most talked-about and least understood pro tips for the self-employed. The quick description of the home office deduction is this: the cost of any workspace you use exclusively for your business – even if it’s a closet in your home or a bedroom-turned-craft-or-recording-studio – can be deducted as a home office expense. And this applies to more than just the desk or computer you use. Let’s say, for example, the space you are using occupies 12% of your home. That means you can deduct 12% of the following expenses: Business percentage of deductible mortgage interest Home depreciation Utilities Homeowners insurance Annual Repairs You can also deduct the following business expenses: phone, fax, and internet. Essentially, if you can show that an expense was incurred while you were doing business (charge for a long-distance phone call, the monthly or yearly costs of owning and operating your website), it is, more often than not, deductible. Bonus: did you know you can also deduct the cost of specialized magazines, journals, and books that are directly related to your business? Here’s some more information on that. Retirement Planning Several retirement plan contributions are also tax-deductible. Contributions to SEP-IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, and solo 401(k)s are included in this. For the 2020 and 2021 tax years, you can contribute up to $19,500 (or $26,000, with the catch-up contribution, if you're 50 or older) in deferred salary. Mileage & Business Trip Expenses When you use your car for business, your mileage for those trips is tax-deductible. For 2021, the standard mileage rate is 56 cents per mile. Using the standard mileage rate is easiest. However, after the first year of you using that vehicle for business, you can use the …
7 Strategies for Financial Organization & Bookkeeping
Whether you are an established business owner or just starting on your entrepreneurial path, bookkeeping is a necessary part of your professional journey. Here are some strategies to help you with financial organization and bookkeeping. Set Up Automatic Billing and Payments Where You Can The money that comes in and out of your business needs help getting to its destination, but that doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself. Take advantage of – or even set up systems for – automatic billing and payments. The crux here is making sure you still monitor these systems on a less frequent, but still consistent, basis. So long as you know which expenses are coming out of which business accounts and you know you have enough funds to cover them, automatic transactions relieve some of your stress and give you peace of mind knowing your essentials are taken care of. Break Up the Work Procrastination is the spice of life. It’s easy to tell yourself “I’ll do a little bit every day” when you are planning out your next week or month, but the execution doesn’t always work out that way. Set up a time in your day (preferably) or week to go through your transactions, enter the necessary data, and gather or organize documents. We all know how it feels to put something off for just a little too long and then be staring down the barrel of a mountain made of paperwork. Keep Your Files Organized While having one perfect system for keeping all finances and other business-related records would be ideal, the reality is much more nuanced. Your business may have a storefront that accepts a variety of payments like cash, checks, credit, and debit. And perhaps your online store runs through Paypal or Square. That’s a lot to keep track of. It’s important to develop a strategy early in the year to ensure that your records – whether paper, pdf, or something in between – are organized and easily referenced. Issues will arise, and it’s better to have things in order before …
Continue Reading about 7 Strategies for Financial Organization & Bookkeeping →
FAQs for Filing Taxes
No matter who you are or what you do, you’re going to have tax questions. Let’s take some time to go through the most frequently asked questions for filing taxes. Are Unemployment Benefits Taxable? In 2020, the unemployment rate reached 14.8%, which is the highest rate observed since data collection began in 1948. And many people had to include unemployment benefits in their 2020 (and possibly their 2021) tax returns. Typically, unemployment income is taxable. If you collected unemployment payments, you will receive Form 1099-G which will show your total payments. It is also worth noting that under the 2021 American Rescue Plan, the first $10,200 (or $20,400 if married filing jointly) of unemployment income was tax-free on your 2020 taxes. No word yet if those provisions will carry forward to the tax year 2021 returns. What Is Self-Employment Tax? Self-Employment tax is a separate tax from your typical personal returns. It is a self-employed person’s version of the FICA tax, in which the independent contractor is responsible for paying for Social Security and Medicare. This is important to remember because those who are self-employed are responsible for both the employer and employee portion of the tax. Do I Need a FEIN for my Home Business? If you run a business out of your home as a sole proprietor, you don’t need a Federal Employer Tax ID Number. You can use your personal Social Security number. Any other business setup, however, will require you to set up a FEIN. What Are the Tax Ramifications of Withdrawing Money from a Retirement Account? Before the age of 59 1/2, withdrawing money early from a retirement account comes with a 10% tax penalty. The money may also bump you up into a higher tax bracket. I Started My Own Business. Can I Take Advantage of Home Office Deductions? Home office deductions are a little tricky. If you started a business and are looking into home office deductions, you’ll want to make sure everything you purchased …
Everything You Need to File Taxes as an Independent Contractor
Independent contractors and employees are treated very differently when it comes to tax prep. Independent contractors are their own small businesses, even if they don’t have an incorporated or otherwise legally recognized business or brand. Let’s discuss what it takes to file taxes as an independent contractor. First, You Need a W-9 The beginning of the tax-filing process for independent contractors always starts with a W-9. Before you even start working on a contracting project, you need to be sure you’ve sent a W-9 with your name, address, and TIN (taxpayer identification number) to the company that is hiring you. It’s important to know who you are partnering with. W-9s must be sent to each company that wants to pay you for your contracting work, and they contain important and sensitive information about your business. Contractors Need Contracts No matter who you work with, whether it’s the President, a reputable local company, or your childhood best friend, it’s always best practice to get things in writing. Not only does a contract outline the expectations of the project for both parties, but it is also a great way to legally document the income you are expecting to make (be it hourly wages, cost of materials, or labor and equipment expenses). Nothing messes up your tax preparation and expectations more than a missing or incorrect payment. Contracts and legal agreements can be as itemized or as broad as you like, but you always want to make sure you protect yourself and your business. If you get paid by the company that hires you (which should happen 100% of the time, but it doesn’t always work that way), you will need to report that income. And if you don’t get paid by the company that hires you – whether it be for legal or illegal reasons – you’ll want to make sure you document the time and materials that you should have been compensated for on your taxes. Form 1040 or 1040SR Working as an independent contractor has tons of perks, but one …
Continue Reading about Everything You Need to File Taxes as an Independent Contractor →
5 Practices to Prepare for Tax Season Year-Round
Are you one of the millions of people who dread doing their taxes? Do you always want to put off filing until the very last minute? Here are some great practices to help you prepare for tax season year-round. Schedule Monthly Check-Ins A lot can change in one year. Jobs and income, family status, and so much more. All of these things will affect your taxes, but by the time tax season rolls around, you may realize you didn’t withhold enough, and now you owe a large, one-time sum. It would’ve been easier to manage if you’d caught it sooner, so why not set yourself up for success this year? Just like paying bills or subscription costs, you should also check in with your tax maintenance every month. That way, if you or your spouse had a job change, you inherited a large sum of money, or you started a family, you’ll know what to expect next January, and you can better prepare for it. Keep (& Organize) Your Receipts We know, we know – you have that pile or that box with all your receipts. Or you moved all your electronic receipts to a folder in your email app. But keeping track of the expenses that may result in deductions is an exercise in organization as well as collection. Before making a big purchase or payment, make sure to document the expenses you plan to count as deductions, from rent to mileage to charitable donations. It’s easier to organize one month of receipts 12 times a year than it is to do them all at once and hope you didn’t forget anything. Watch for Out-of-Season Tax Documents Just because you aren’t ready to start thinking about your taxes doesn’t mean you won’t receive something in the middle of the year that you’ll need to keep for tax purposes. When you sort your mail (both physical and electronic), make sure to pay attention to documents that expressly say they are for tax purposes, and to set aside anything else you think might be helpful or needed when you file your taxes. This includes checking your spam or junk folders …
Continue Reading about 5 Practices to Prepare for Tax Season Year-Round →