Key Provisions in Secure 2.0
In December 2022, Congress passed a giant omnibus budget bill that included the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement 2.0 Act of 2022 (“SECURE 2.0”). Secure 2.0 contains numerous provisions related to individual and employer-sponsored retirement plans. Let’s examine a few of the key provisions. Age Increased for Required Minimum Distributions The age used…
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Employee Retention Credit Refund Update
Our last “Where’s My ERC Refund” update was published almost a year ago in June 2022. Since then, many outstanding ERC refunds have been processed and paid by the IRS with interest, while businesses continue to file additional ERC refund claims. Many of our clients have received a refund for some quarters, but not others,…
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Accounting – A Necessary Evil?
Our firm works with hundreds of businesses of all shapes and sizes. Though there are many different business structures and industries, there are many commonalities. Our business clients are usually focused on sales, cash flow, and growth. Accounting needs are often considered a necessary evil rather than a priority. Oftentimes, one of the owners or…
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IRS Issues Warning on Aggressive Employee Retention Credit Claims
On March 20th, the IRS issued a warning to promoters and businesses making aggressive claims for employee retention credits (“ERC”). These aggressive ERC refund claims have been added to the 2023 Dirty Dozen list of tax scams. The following excerpts were included in the IRS news release: “Blatant attempts by promoters to con ineligible people…
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Does Your Business Have the Proper Business Licenses?
State of Alabama A business license is required for basically everyone engaged in business within the state. The state and county licenses are issued by the county Probate Judge or License Commissioner in the county where the business is located. The county then remits a portion of the license fees to the state. The Alabama…
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Special Senior Property Tax Exemption for Jefferson County
Many seniors age 65 and over are not aware of Alabama Act 2021-300 passed by the legislature in April of 2021: In Jefferson County, a person age 65 or over may claim a senior property tax exemption for ad valorem tax purposes on real property in the county owned by the person and classified as…
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Reducing Alabama Property Taxes on a Second Home
Homestead Exemption In Alabama, a homestead exemption is available for a single-family owner-occupied dwelling and the land thereto not exceeding 160 acres. Only one homestead is granted regardless of how much property is owned within the state. Second Home While a second home cannot qualify for a homestead exemption, there is an opportunity for a…
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Silicon Valley Bank Failure – What’s Next?
Over the last week, many of our clients have called and asked if they should be concerned about banks and deposits. While we don’t offer opinions on the stability or solvency of any particular financial institution, we wanted to provide information about these events and FDIC insurance limits. On March 10, Silicon Valley Bank (“SVB”)…
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Donor Advised Funds – A Simple Way to Gift
A donor-advised fund is a charitable investment account solely for supporting charitable organizations you support. When you contribute appreciated securities or cash to the account, you get an immediate tax deduction. The funds in the account grow tax tax-free. You can recommend grants to any IRS-qualified charity. One of the biggest benefits of using a…
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Misinformation Abounds on IRS Plan to Spend $80 Billion
The Inflation Reduction Act provides nearly $80 billion in IRS funding over the next ten years. The IRS plans to use some of the funds to hire 87,000 employees. Many claim the funds will be used to hire an army of auditors dedicated to auditing taxpayers. Let’s add some perspective to the claims and numbers:…
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