Subchapter S corporations offer a number of tax advantages, but they can also lead to complications. One longstanding concern is the question of “reasonable compensation” for S corporation shareholders who are also officers or employees of the company. Several provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) have drawn added attention to this issue—and to the sizable penalties that companies can incur if they do not manage officer compensation properly. (more…)
The SECURE 2.0 Act and Employers: Changes Affecting Your Business
The SECURE 2.0 Act, which was signed into law in late December 2022, contains many provisions that can impact employers, employees, and retirees. We covered the key provisions in a previous article, SECURE Act 2.0 – Helping Employees and Employers With Retirement Savings. Now, we are going to concentrate on how the Act affects employers including new requirements and the potential for increased administration and compliance costs. (more…)
Does Your Business Have Unclaimed Property… and Possibly Large Penalties?
By Misty Shore, CPA, MST, Tax Senior
UPDATE March 22, 2023 – The California Voluntary Compliance Program (VCP) is open as of today, which allows unclaimed property holders to determine if they qualify for a waived interest assessment. Holders must complete a VCP Interest Form to receive an application. After submitting a completed application form, approved holders that meet all program requirements, which includes completing a training program and meeting reporting deadlines will be eligible for waived interest (12 percent) on past-due unclaimed property reported under the program. For additional information and to complete an interest form, visit: California Voluntary Compliance Program. (more…)
Partnerships and S Corporations: IRS Clarifies Schedule K-2 and K-3 Rules
Since the IRS first introduced them for the 2021 tax year, Schedules K-2 and K-3 have caused concerns—and confusion—for many partnerships and S corporations. The purpose of the two schedules is to report information related to foreign financial activities, but some pass-through entities found themselves subject to the forms’ requirements—even though they had no foreign interests or concerns. (more…)
IRS Issues Additional Guidance for 2020 and 2021 Employee Retention Credit
Earlier this month, the IRS released Notice 2021-49 and Revenue Procedure 2021-33, to provide additional guidance for employers claiming the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) in 2020 or 2021. This guidance provided answers to several unresolved issues including: (more…)
California Enacts a Pass-Through Entity Tax
Good News for Business Owners – California Assembly Bill 150
By Rob Trammell, Principal
For those of us living in California, or other high tax states, there was a nasty section of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that has been causing some pain since 2018. That was the $10,000 limitation on the amount of state and local taxes that could be deducted for federal purposes. Even though your state income and property taxes could well exceed that amount, the maximum deduction on your federal return was limited to $10,000. (more…)
Overseas Expansion - Tax Questions Can Complicate Your Growth Plans
When a domestic company begins operations in another country, its tax picture grows dramatically more complicated. If an international expansion is part of your company’s growth strategy, your financial management and tax teams will need to make a number of critical tax-related decisions in addition to the many strategic, competitive, and financial considerations your company already must address.
Here are seven important tax-related variables that will affect when, where, how, and even whether you launch overseas operations. While these are by no means the only issues you must consider, your answers to these questions will drive much of your future decision-making. (more…)
COVID-19 Recovery - Time to Take Another Look at the Employee Retention Credit
After a series of rule changes and expansions to various COVID-19 relief programs, many companies are reconsidering certain federal benefits they had previously ruled out. The employee retention credit (ERC) is a prime example.
The initial intent of the ERC was to make it easier for a business to keep employees on the payroll if it was forced to close or partially suspend operations due to a mandatory government shutdown order or if it experienced significant revenue loss during the pandemic. While the basic structure and purpose of the program remain unchanged, both the eligibility criteria and the size of the potential benefits have changed significantly. (more…)
California’s Mandatory Retirement Plan Impacts More Employers in 2022
By Abe Livchitz, CPA, Senior Tax Manager
August 26, 2022 Update to Expand CalSavers to More Workers
Governor Newsom signed an amendment, S 1126, requiring all employers within the state of California with at least one worker to participate in the CalSavers program (reducing the minimum from five workers). The amendment is expected to take effect prior to December 31, 2025, and continues to apply to employers that do not otherwise offer a retirement plan to their employees.
May 9, 2022 Update
Action Is Required
The state-run CalSavers program was enacted in 2016 to provide employees an opportunity to build retirement savings and let employers avoid administrative fees and fiduciary responsibilities. An email outreach program launched towards the end of 2020, so many businesses have already received a notification to register for the CalSavers retirement plan program. In 2021, this requirement only applied to California employers with more than 50 employees, but effective in 2022, employers with more than 5 employees will be required to register.
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