Maximize the QBI deduction before it’s gone
The qualified business income (QBI) deduction is available to eligible businesses through 2025. After that, it’s scheduled to disappear unless Congress acts to extend it. Contact the CPAs and business tax advisors at SEK for your questions and more tax tips.
Making a nonprofit mission drift official
If your not-for-profit has been operating for a long time, your local community probably has grown, the issues surrounding your mission may have evolved and new nonprofits may be addressing some of the same challenges. Under these circumstances, mission drift is to be expected. But if your mission has changed significantly, you’ll need to formalize the shift. Your board should evaluate any changes and potentially draw up a new mission statement. Contact the CPAs and business advisors at SEK with your nonprofit questions.
Empower your sellers with sales enablement
The driving revenue force of just about every kind of business is sales. That’s why many companies today are investing in sales enablement. This is an enterprise-wide, collaborative and continuous approach to empowering the sales department to do its best work. A well-designed program can help new hires get up to speed faster, boost overall sales productivity, enhance sales reps’ knowledgeability and improve employee engagement. If you decide to implement one, contact the CPAs and business advisors at SEK for help.
Use a business valuation pro to evaluate solvency
Solvency refers to a business’s ability, at a specific point in time, to meet its long-term interest and repayment obligations. Business valuation pros may be hired to provide solvency opinions that can help creditors determine whether liquidating companies can meet repayment obligations. They also may come into play in fraudulent conveyance, bankruptcy alter ego and due diligence actions. Contact the CPAs and business advisors at SEK to perform a comprehensive solvency analysis for your business.
Better tax break when applying the research credit against payroll taxes
The credit for increasing research activities is a valuable tax break for eligible businesses. To qualify for the election a taxpayer: 1) must have gross receipts for the election year of less than $5 million, and 2) be no more than five years past the period for which it had no receipts (the start-up period). Contact the CPAs and business tax advisors at SEK for more information and tax tips.
April 15 is the deadline to file a gift tax return
If you made substantial gifts of wealth to family members in 2023, you may have to file a gift tax return. The return is due by April 15 of the year after you make the gift, so the deadline for 2023 gifts is coming up soon. Generally, a federal gift tax return (Form 709) is required if you make gifts to or for someone during the year that exceed the annual gift tax exclusion ($17,000 per person for 2023 and $18,000 per person for 2024). Contact the CPAs and tax advisors at SEK for more details.
How do you create projects in QuickBooks Online?
QuickBooks Online can tell you where your money comes from and where it’s going in very detailed, customizable reports.
Nonprofits: Plan now to reimburse staffers, board members and volunteers
Even if your not-for-profit rarely needs to reimburse staffers, board members or volunteers, reimbursement requests almost certainly will come up. A reimbursement policy will make the process easier and reduce the risk of any disagreements. Contact the CPAs and business advisors at SEK for guidance on creating this policy.
New option for unused funds in a 529 college savings plan
Many parents begin saving with 529 college savings plans when their children are young. Contributions aren’t tax deductible, but they grow tax deferred. Earnings used to pay qualified education expenses can be withdrawn tax-free. Earnings used for other purposes may be subject to income tax plus a 10% penalty. What if you have a large 529 plan balance but your child doesn’t need all the money for college? There’s a new 529-to-Roth IRA transfer. Contact the CPA's and business advisors at SEK for more information and tax tips.
Tax-wise ways to take cash from your corporation while avoiding dividend treatment
If you want to withdraw cash from your closely held corporation at a low tax cost, the easiest way is to distribute cash as a dividend. However, keep in mind that a dividend distribution is taxable to you as a shareholder but it’s not deductible by the corporation. Thankfully, there are some alternatives that may allow you to withdraw cash from a corporation and avoid dividend treatment. Contact the CPAs and business tax advisors at SEK if you’re interested in discussing these or for other tax tips.