Mike's weekly post usually concentrated on tax saving strategies.
The new IRS regulations on capitalization vs expensing are complex. But the part of the regulations that concerns most small businesses makes it easier for them to comply.
Here's an overview of the safe harbor rules for small businesses.
Are you considering donating an organ? Although this is a very benevolent decision, currently, the federal government doesn't offer any tax deduction or credit for donating organs, such as kidneys to charity... but there is more...
Pay more to fly. Beginning July 1, airline passengers will face higher fees. The Congressional budget agreement raises the aviation passenger security fee on travelers from $2.50 for each flight leg to a flat charge of $5.60 per one-way trip. This amounts to as much as an extra $6.20 for a round-trip nonstop flight, but just $1.20 more if a passenger changes planes on the inbound and outbound legs
Room for improvement. A new report says the IRS needs to improve efficiency for telephone and correspondence services. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), access to the IRS telephone help in 2013 remained at 68%, the same as it was in 2012. Also, unanswered paper correspondence that was more than 45 days old increased to 47% in 2013, up from 40% in 2012. (GAO-14-133, Dec. 2013)
IRS, phone home? The IRS is testing a program that allows staffers to access work email and other services on their personal smartphones. But the idea is not without risk. A new report from Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) points out that additional security is needed and recommends a thorough cost analysis to determine if the IRS should move forward with this concept. (TIGTA Ref. No. 2013- 20-108, 9124113)
For the first time, the IRS is reporting that it will be comparing filed 1099-Ks against income reported on business tax returns (including those reported on 1040 Schedule C tax returns). Knowing how this impacts you can save you an unwanted IRS correspondence audit.
