Bookkeeping specialist Coral Springs: If you have ignored that advice this far, it might be a good time to start doing your research before you dig the hole any deeper, because a bookkeeping service does more than just record payables and receivables, they guarantee the security, power and success of your business. Next is the full-charge bookkeeper. We all know the basic duties of a bookkeeper: to track payables and receivables and keep all your business’s financial transactions documented. Sounds simple enough, but there’s a lot more to this job than meets the eye.
Fund IRAs and SEPs to Allowable Limits: If you participate in an employer-sponsored individual 401(k) plan, 403(b) retirement plan, or other qualified retirement plan, the deadline for contributions is Dec. 31. However, you can still fund an IRA until April 15. If you’re younger than 50 and contributed less than $6,000 for the 2019 tax year, or you’re older than 50 and have contributed less than $7,000, you have until April 15, 2020, to invest money on a tax-sheltered basis for 2020. If some or all of your income comes from self-employment, you can set up a simplified employee pension (SEP) IRA up until the due date of your tax return, including extensions, and contribute up to 25% of your self-employment income. If you have the opportunity to choose between paying income taxes or funding your retirement, it should be an easy decision. While Roth IRA contributions are not deductible, IRA and SEP contributions are fully deductible depending upon your income, filing status, and participation in an employer plan. Income within a retirement plan – whether IRA, SEP, or 401(k) – is not taxed until you withdraw it.
Meet With Your Tax Advisor: November is a good month to meet with a tax advisor, Powell says. They have finished their October tax filings and may have time in their schedule before the busy tax season starts after the first of the year. “If you sit down and do some math between now and the end of the year, you can make sure you are in a favorable tax bracket,” Barlin says. An advisor can help pinpoint strategies to reduce taxable income through retirement contributions or itemized deductions. That, in turn, may be key to ensuring households remain eligible for some income-based tax incentives such as student loan interest deductions. If you don’t regularly use a tax professional, Barlin says running numbers through tax software can be just as beneficial.
Don’t make financial decisions based on potential tax breaks: The IRS offers a slew of tax credits and deductions that have the potential to reduce your tax liability. But if you’re spending money strictly for the tax break, you may end up losing money on the deal. For example, you can deduct charitable contributions you make throughout the year if you itemize your deductions and donate to qualified charitable organizations. But if you donate $1,000 solely to get a tax deduction, and don’t first ensure your contribution meets deduction requirements, you could be out $1,000 with no tax break to show for your donation. Discover even more details on Parkland Bookkeepers.
Employers are typically notified of a wage garnishment via a court order or IRS levy. They must comply with the garnishment request, and typically start withholding and remitting payment as soon as the order is received. IRS wage garnishment and levy paperwork will walk you through the steps of completing the wage garnishment. Paperwork should also include any relevant contact information, which you should not hesitate to use if you have any questions. This is certainly one scenario where it’s in your best interest to contact many people rather than attempt to guess and create possible errors.
State tax you paid last spring: Did you owe taxes when you filed your 2018 state tax return in 2019? Then remember to include that amount with your state tax itemized deduction on your 2019 return, along with state income taxes withheld from your paychecks or paid via quarterly estimated payments. Beginning in 2018, the deduction for state and local taxes is limited to $10,000 per year. When you buy a house, you often get to deduct points paid to obtain your mortgage all at one time. When you refinance a mortgage, however, you have to deduct the points over the life of the loan. That means you can deduct 1/30th of the points a year if it’s a 30-year mortgage—that’s $33 a year for each $1,000 of points you paid. Doesn’t seem like much, but why throw it away? Also, in the year you pay off the loan—because you sell the house or refinance again—you get to deduct all the points not yet deducted, unless you refinance with the same lender.
Business Bookkeeping Help, a Coral Springs bookkeeping and accounting firm, has a team of bookkeepers, accountants and small business experts who specialize in bookkeeping and a full range of accounting services for corporations and small businesses. Our bookkeepers are also accountants. Our accountants are here to help you understand and help educate you about the tax laws and help you find tax deductions to lower your taxes. Just give our accountants a call and we will try to answer your tax questions for free. This will help you be aware of the tax deductions to save you money on your taxes. Read even more info at Affordable Bookkeeping.