Menu Financial Solutions That Get Results Call (973) 325-3370 November 2021 Newsletter Time is running out to minimize your tax obligation before the end of the year! This month’s newsletter features several tax moves to consider making by December 31st to lessen the amount of money you owe the IRS plus review the Social Security benefits and their recent changes. All this and ideas for your business are outlined in this month’s newsletter. Please call if you would like to discuss how this information could impact your situation. If you know someone who could benefit from this newsletter, feel free to send it to them. YEAR-END TAX PLANNING IDEAS FOR YOUR BUSINESS HERE ARE SOME IDEAS TO LOWER YOUR BUSINESS TAXES, GET ORGANIZED, AND TO PREPARE FOR FILING YOUR 2021 TAX RETURN. As 2021 winds down, here are some ideas to consider in order to help manage your small business and prepare for filing your upcoming tax return. Identify all vendors who require a 1099-MISC and a 1099-NEC. Obtain tax identification numbers (TIN) for each of these vendors. Determine if you qualify for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) safe harbor threshold that allows you to deduct certain 2020 expenses on your 2021 tax return. Consider accelerating income or deferring earnings, based on profit projections. Section 179, or bonus depreciation expensing versus traditional depreciation, is a great planning tool. If using Section 179, the qualified assets must be placed in service prior to year-end. Business meals are 100% deductible in 2021 if certain qualifications are met. Retain the necessary receipts and documentation that note when the meal took place, who attended and the business purpose of the meal on each receipt. Consider any last-minute deductible charitable giving including long-term capital gain stocks. Review your inventory for proper counts and remove obsolete or worthless products. Keep track of the obsolete and worthless amounts for a potential tax deduction. Set up separate business bank accounts. Co- mingling business and personal expenses in one account is not recommended. Create expense reports. Having expense reports with supporting invoices will help substantiate your tax deductions in the event of an audit. Organize your records by major categories of income, expenses and fixed assets purchased to make tax return filing easier. Review your receivables. Focus on collection activities and review your uncollectable accounts for possible write-offs. TAX MOVES TO MAKE BEFORE YEAR-END There are always moves you can make to reduce your taxable income. Some of these tax-saving moves, however, must be completed by December 31. Here are several to consider: Tax loss harvesting. If you own stock in a taxable account that is not in a tax-deferred retirement plan, you can sell your underperforming stocks by December 31 and use these losses to reduce any taxable capital gains. If your net capital losses exceed your gains, you can even net up to $3,000 against other income such as wages. Losses over $3,000 can be used in future years. Just be sure you do not repurchase the same stock within 30 days, or the loss will be deferred. Take a peek at your estimated 2022 income. If you have appreciated assets that you plan on selling in the near future, estimate your 2022 taxable income and compare it to your 2021 taxable income. If your 2022 income looks like it may be significantly higher than 2021, you may be able to sell your appreciated assets in 2021 to take advantage of a lower tax rate. The opposite also holds true. If your estimated 2022 taxable income looks like it may be significantly lower than your 2021 taxable income, lower tax rates may apply if you wait to sell your assets in 2022. Max out pre-tax retirement savings. The deadline to contribute to a 401(k) plan and be able to reduce your taxable income on your 2021 tax return is December 31. See if you can earmark a little more money from each of your paychecks through the end of the year to transfer into your retirement savings accounts. For 2021, you can contribute up to $19,500 to a 401(k), plus another $6,500 if you’re age 50 or older. Even better, you have until April 18, 2022, to contribute to a traditional IRA and be able to reduce your taxable income on your 2021 tax return. Make cash charitable contributions. If you’re like 90% of all taxpayers, you get no tax benefit from charitable contributions because you don’t itemize your personal deductions. On your 2021 tax return, however, you may contribute up to $300 in cash to a qualified charity and deduct the amount whether or not you itemize your deductions. Married taxpayers who file jointly may contribute $600. You can make your contribution by check, credit card, or debit card. Remember that this above-the-line deduction is for cash contributions only. It does not apply to non-cash contributions. Bunch deductions so you can itemize. Are your personal deductions near the amount of the standard deduction for 2021: $12,550 for singles, $18,800 for head of household and $25,100 for married filing jointly? If so, consider bunching your personal deductions into 2021 so you can itemize this year. For most, the easiest way is to bunch two years of charitable contributions into a single year. These can include gifts of appreciated stock where you get to deduct the fair market value without paying capital gains tax. UPCOMING DATES November 11 – Veterans Day November 25 – Thanksgiving November 26 – Black Friday Reminder – Conduct year-end tax and financial planning THE POWER OF COMPARATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Your business has a story to tell. And one of the ways to hear your business’s story is by reading through comparative financial statements. THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPARATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS An up-to-date balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows are essential financial reports you should consistently analyze. But these financial statements by themselves don’t tell the whole story about your business. Consider the following: Company XYZ: The most current balance sheet shows $1 million in liquid assets with zero liabilities. Company ABC: The most current income statement has a net profit margin of 35%. Company 123: The statement of cash flows shows that the company has consistently brought in more cash than it has spent over the past three years. And here’s the rest of the story: Company XYZ: Liquid assets decreased from $5 million to $1 million over the past 12 months. Company ABC: Net profit margin is typically around 20% for this company. However, a recent round of layoffs temporarily pushed total salaries and wages lower, while pushing the net profit margin much higher. Company 123: There has been a steady decline in positive cash flow over the past three years. These examples show the importance of analyzing your financial statements in comparison with something else. Reading through the first list of bullet points only tells part of the story. WHAT YOU CAN DO Here are several types of comparative financial statements you can create for your business and some tips for getting the most out of these reports. Current period vs. Prior period. Compare this month to the same month one year prior (October 2021 vs. October 2020) or compare by year (2021 Year-to-Date vs. 2020 Year-to- Date). Current period vs. Current period forecast. This is known as a variance analysis. You compare what you think was going to occur during a particular period to what actually happened. This report can also be done either by month [October 2021 (actual) vs. October 2021 (forecast)] or by year [2021 Year-to-Date (actual) vs. 2021 Year-to-Date (forecast)] Use both absolute figure and percentages. Percentages allow you to quickly see the degree of change between the two periods that are being compared. Here’s an example of what this could look like: Ask for help! Please call if you would like help creating or analyzing comparative financial statements for your business. SOCIAL SECURITY ANNOUNCES 2022 ADJUSTMENTS YOUR 2022 SOCIAL SECURITY benefits have changed AVERAGE RETIREMENT BENEFITS Starting January 2022 All workers in 2021: $1,565/mo All workers in 2022: $1,657/mo The 2022 maximum Social Security retirement benefits a worker retiring at full retirement age: $3,345/mo DID YOU KNOW … 97% of U.S. citizens over age 60 either receive Social Security or will receive it. 1 in 4 seniors expect it to be their primary source of income. Social Security pays benefits to more than 70 million people including retirees, children and surviving spouses. 165+ million people work and pay Social Security taxes Social Security has provided financial protection for Americans since 1935 SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS EXPLAINED Social Security retirement benefits are for people who have paid into the Social Security system through taxable income. Social Security Disability (SSD or SSDI) benefits are for people who have disabilities but have paid into the Social Security the system through taxable income. Supplemental Security Income benefits are for adults and children who have disabilities, plus limited income and resources. HOW DOES SOCIAL SECURITY WORK? When you work, you pay taxes into Social Security. The Social Security Administration uses your tax money to pay benefits to people right now. Any unused money goes into Social Security trust funds and is borrowed by the government to pay for other programs. Later on when you retire, you receive benefits. HERE’S HOW YOU QUALIFY FOR RETIREMENT BENEFITS When you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn credits toward benefits. The number of credits you need to earn retirement benefits depends on when you were born. If you were born in 1929 or later, you need 40 credits (10 years of work) to receive retirement benefits The earnings needed to a credit in 2022 is $1,510 4 credits maximum per year DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN CHECK YOUR BENEFITS STATUS BEFORE YOU RETIRE? You can check online by creating a my Social Security account on the SSA website. If you don’t have an account, you’ll be mailed a paper Social Security statement 3 months before your 61st birthday. It shows your year-by-year earnings, and estimates of retirement, survivors and disability benefits you and your family may be able to receive now and in the future. If it doesn’t show earnings from a state or local government employer, contact them. The work may not be covered within Social Security. FAKE PRODUCTS (AND MONEY!) ARE BIG BUSINESS HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM MODERN-DAY COUNTERFEITERS Counterfeiters are getting better at tricking you. They do this by using fake images, creating realistic websites and promising low prices. According to the Organization for Economic Co- operation and Development (OECD), fraudsters hold an estimated 3.3% of world trade, up from 2.5% in 2016. Here are some commonly counterfeited items and what you need to know to protect yourself. COMMONLY COUNTERFEITED ITEMS Currency. The U.S. Treasury estimates that there are nearly $9 million of counterfeit bills in circulation. While creating an excellent counterfeit $100 bill would seem difficult, criminals can trick you if you aren’t paying attention. Shoes & Clothing. Manufacturing a low-quality knock-off and slapping a brand name label on a shirt or a pair of shoes is a tale as old as time. It’s much harder to spot a fake through online pictures and videos than seeing and touching it in person. With online purchases continuing to increase, it’s even easier to pull off this deception. Collectibles. Trading cards and collecting memorabilia are gaining in popularity over the past few years. People are willing to spend top dollar for a mint condition Fernando Tatis, Jr. rookie card or boxing gloves autographed by Mohammed Ali. Where there’s money, counterfeiters are looking to take advantage. Electronics. As technology continues to evolve, so does the ease of assembling electronics. Using cheap components and labor, companies can slap together their version of the real thing. This process cuts corners and sometimes skirts safety procedures that can lead to knock-off electronic products that can pose a hazard to your health. HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF Know the real thing. The best way to spot a fake is to know the real thing inside and out. In the case of currency, the new $100 bills have plenty of watermarks, different textures and a security ribbon that make it difficult to fake. For products, do your research to know the characteristics of the legitimate item before you buy. Clues often come from irregularities in logos, colors and packaging. Shop from trusted sources. Shopping around for the lowest price is a wise practice. Automatically going with the cheapest option is not. If your purchase is important, stick to reputable vendors. Research, research, research. The more you know the product, the less likely you will be tricked. Look at products from local stores and read through reviews of online vendors. Conduct research on scams and common tricks used by counterfeiters. Be wary of reviews from the website you are thinking about making the purchase from. Instead, conduct a web search of both the product and the vendor to see what people have to say. Stay skeptical. When conducting your research, have the mindset that the product and company are fake until proven legitimate. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. This entry was posted in News on December 1, 2021. October 2021 Newsletter With the 2021 tax filing season just a few months away from starting, the IRS is warning taxpayers to be on the lookout for signs that your identity has been stolen. This month’s newsletter alerts you to some of the common signs of identity theft and what you can do if you discover that you’re an identity theft victim. Also in this month’s edition, learn about a bank secret that can be yours, and tips for dealing with common accounts payable problems in your business. Please call if you would like to discuss how this information could impact your situation. If you know someone who could benefit from this newsletter, feel free to send it to them. IRS WARNS OF IDENTITY THEFT SIGNS With identity thieves continuing to target the tax community, the IRS is urging you to learn the new signs of identity theft so you can react quickly to limit any damage. THE COMMON SIGNS OF ID THEFT Here are some of the common signs of identity theft according to the IRS: In early 2022, you receive a refund before filing your 2021 tax return. You receive a tax transcript you didn’t request from the IRS. A notice that someone created an IRS online account without your consent. You find out that more than one tax return was filed using your Social Security Number. You receive tax documents from an employer you do not know. Other signs of identity theft include: Unexplained withdrawals on bank statements. Mysterious credit card charges. Your credit report shows accounts you didn’t open. You are billed for services you didn’t use or receive calls about phantom debts. WHAT YOU CAN DO If you discover that you’re a victim of identity theft, consider taking the following action: Notify creditors and banks. Most credit card companies offer protections to cardholders affected by ID theft. Generally, you can avoid liability for unauthorized charges exceeding $50. But if your ATM or debit card is stolen, report the theft immediately to avoid dire consequences. Place a fraud alert on your credit report. To avoid long-lasting impact, contact any one of the three major credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian or TransUnion – to request a fraud alert. This covers all three of your credit files. Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Visit identitytheft.gov or call 877-438-4338. The FTC will provide a recovery plan and offer updates if you set up an account on the website. Please call if you suspect any tax-related identity theft. If any of the previously mentioned signs of tax-related identity theft have happened to you, please call to schedule an appointment to discuss the next steps. TIPS FOR DEALING WITH COMMON ACCOUNTS PAYABLE PROBLEMS The accounts payable process is typically very labor-intensive for many small business owners. While moving to a paperless environment may help alleviate some of your accounts payable headaches, there will be new problems you’ll have to successfully navigate. Here are some of the most encountered accounts payable problems and several solutions to consider. COMMON PROBLEMS WITH ACCOUNTS PAYABLE Double payment. A vendor sends you an invoice for $100. Your company promptly pays this vendor $100, but a short time later another payment for $100 goes out to the vendor. Sometimes this can be the fault of the vendor sending an invoice in different ways (i.e. via fax and e-mail). Or the vendor moves to digital invoicing and emails more than one person in your company, effectively duplicating the invoice electronically. Or even worse, you print out a digital invoice twice. Vanishing invoices. Your company could get an invoice from a vendor and have that invoice get misplaced, or the invoice accidentally gets destroyed before ever making it into your A/P system. With digital invoices, how do you know which one is the original and which one is a duplicate? Sending payment prior to delivery. There are sometimes benefits to paying an invoice as soon as possible. However, if your company pays an invoice before a shipment arrives, that could lead to an awkward conversation with your vendor if any of the shipment arrives with damaged or missing items. Matching errors. A manual investigation is often required if a discrepancy is discovered between purchase orders, invoices and other documents. This often happens when multiple invoices are paid with one check, and the breakout of the invoices does not fit on the check stub or other payment documentation. It gets more complicated if your supplier applies payments haphazardly creating a past due account, all while you continue to pay the bills. WHAT YOU CAN DO Update your internal controls. Have your A/P team help update internal processes and document how invoices should be handled. Pay special attention to separation of duties and full use of purchase orders to ensure invoices are accurate. Have one inbox for A/P. All e-mails with invoices should go to one inbox. This will help reduce the chances that an invoice will be received or paid twice. Limit access to this billing address. Limit access to cash accounts. It’s more important than ever for someone without authorization to your company’s cash accounts to review bank reconciliations. Not only will this help to potentially uncover erroneous payments, but it could also help to uncover potential fraud that is occurring in your company. Track key performance indicators. Create a report each month of all unpaid invoices and another report that shows payments made. Explore bank security features to identify duplicate payments and allows you to control checks that are confirmed for payment. Use your accounting software help identify duplicate dollar amounts and duplicate invoice numbers. Be cautious with ACH. Giving a vendor automatic access to your firm’s checking account needs to be tightly controlled. Explore ways to ensure you are reviewing these auto payments on a timely basis and that you are receiving supporting invoicing of these payments. Please call if you have any questions about improving your business’s accounts payable process. UPCOMING DATES: October 15 – Filing deadline for extended 2020 individual and C corporation tax returns IRS BACKLOG OF HISTORICAL PROPORTIONS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IF ONE OF YOUR TAX RETURNS IS STUCK The IRS is coping with a backlog of historical proportions and it is impacting millions of taxpayers. According to IRS sources, as of July 31, there are still over 13 million tax returns that are to be processed. The nearly unprecedented delay is being attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, under staffing at the IRS, and a slew of recent tax law changes. The challenge is how to navigate the IRS notices if you are caught up in this mess. COMPLICATING YOUR TAX LIFE You’ve filed for an extension via mail, but the IRS says you haven’t filed your return yet and issues notices and penalties. You keep getting letters from the IRS after responding to initial inquiries. You filed your tax return on time, but the IRS says it doesn’t have your return, even though you may have received a confirmation. WHAT YOU CAN DO While you may not be able to get your tax return processed any faster, there are steps you can take to stay informed and make it easier for the IRS to work with your tax situation: Track your refund status. The IRS has developed an online tool, “Where’s My Refund?” that can provide updates. Find it at https://www.irs.gov/refunds. Check out IRS2Go. The agency also provides a mobile app called IRS2Go that checks your tax refund status. You can see if your return has been received, approved, and sent. Stay calm and keep responding. If the IRS sends you notices, keep detailed records of the notices and your timely replies. Eventually, they will get caught up. So keep good records by leaving a digital footprint and back up electronic records with paper versions. Prior correspondence is your friend. When you’re replying to IRS notifications, attach copies of prior correspondence with your latest letter. Make it easy for the IRS to follow your paper trail by dating each response and keeping the most recent response on top. Keep proof of delivery. Use express delivery or certified mail to confirm that the IRS receives your responses in a timely manner. Remember that the IRS is working as quickly as it can to clear this backlog. Please call if you have any questions about a tax return you believe to be stuck because of this situation. As always, should you have any questions or concerns regarding your tax situation please feel free to call. THIS BANK SECRET CAN BE YOURS KNOW THE WAY LOANS WORK… AND USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE! Every banker knows that the majority of the money they make on a loan is made in the first few years of the loan. By understanding this fact, you can greatly reduce the amount you pay when buying your house, paying off your student loan, or buying a car. Here is what you need to know: YOUR PAYMENT NEVER CHANGES When you obtain a loan, the components of that loan are interest, the number of years to repay the loan, the amount borrowed, and the monthly payment. Assuming a fixed rate note, the payment never changes. Here is an example of a $250,000 loan. It is important to note that your payment in month one is $1,158 and your monthly payment thirty years later is the same amount…$1,158. EACH PAYMENT HAS TWO PARTS What does change every month is what is inside each payment. Every loan payment has two parts. One is a payment that reduces the amount of money you owe, called principal. The other part of the payment is for the bank, called interest expense. Now look at the component parts of the first payment and then the last payment: So while your monthly payment never changes, the amount used to reduce the loan each month varies DRAMATICALLY. Remember your total cost of borrowing $250,000 includes more than $166,000 in interest! USE THE KNOWLEDGE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE Here’s how you can use this information to your advantage. FOR NEW LOANS Only sign up for loans that allow you to make pre-payments without penalty. When borrowing money, keep some of your cash in reserve. Try to reserve a minimum of 10 to 20 percent of the amount borrowed. So in this example, try to reserve $25,000 to $50,000 in cash. Immediately after getting the loan, consider using the excess cash as a pre-payment on the note. By doing this you can dramatically reduce the interest expense over the life of the note, all while keeping your payment constant. Even though your monthly payment may be a little higher, the extra payment amount will pay back the loan more quickly. FOR EXISTING LOANS Create and look at your loan’s amortization table. This table shows how much of each payment is used to pay down the loan balance and how much goes to your lender as interest. In the above example, 67 percent of the first payment is for the bank, while only 1⁄2 of 1 percent of the last payment is for the bank. Pay more to you than the bank. Aggressively prepay down any loan until more of each payment goes to you versus the bank. This is the crossover point of your loan. Find your sweet spot. After hitting the crossover point, next consider the efficiency of each prepayment and determine when you consider your prepayment ineffective. No one would consider prepaying that last payment when interest expense is only $4.00. But if more than 25% of the payment goes to interest? Keep making prepayments. FINAL THOUGHT When you make a prepayment on a loan, reduce the loan balance by your prepayment, then look at the amortization table. See how many payments are eliminated with your prepayment and add up all the interest you save. You will be amazed by the result. This entry was posted in News on October 31, 2021. September 2021 Newsletter With a little over four months remaining until you can begin filing your 2021 tax return, now’s the time to kick your tax planning into high gear. Also read about how to give your business a financial check-up, and becoming aware that inflation is with us and what you can do about it. Please call if you would like to discuss how this information could impact your situation. If you know someone who could benefit from this newsletter, feel free to send it to them. TIME TO SCHEDULE YOUR TAX PLANNING SESSION Now is the time to schedule a tax planning appointment. If you are on the fence, here are some things to consider: IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. This is especially true if you have a major event that occurs during the year. For example: Even in uneventful years, external forces like new tax laws can be managed if planned for in advance. Selling a house? You can avoid taxes if primary residence requirements are met. Starting a business? Choosing the correct entity can lower your taxes every year! Getting ready to retire? Properly balancing the different revenue streams (part-time wages, Social Security benefits, IRA distributions and more) has a huge impact on your tax liability. PUT YOURSELF IN CONTROL. Timing is important when it comes to minimizing taxes, and the timing is often in your control. For instance, bundling multiple years of charitable contributions into one year can create an opportunity to itemize deductions. Plus holding investments for longer than one year to get a lower tax rate, and making efficient retirement withdrawals are other examples of prudent tax strategies that you control. THERE ARE TAX PLANNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERY LEVEL OF INCOME. There are tax strategies to be implemented at all income levels, not just those at the top of the tax bracket. Tax deductions are available for student loan interest, IRA contributions and others even if you claim the standard deduction. Certain tax credits (called refundable credits) will increase your refund even if you don’t owe taxes. Missing any of these tax breaks can unnecessarily increase your taxes. THERE MAY STILL BE COVID TAX BREAKS. While it’s true that many one-time tax breaks were offered for only the 2020 tax year, there are still plenty of COVID tax breaks available in 2021. Some of these tax breaks include an expanded child tax credit, an increased child and dependent care credit, the ability to roll forward unused funds in your Flexible Spending Account and charitable deductions that are available to all taxpayers, even if you don’t itemize your deductions. YOU HAVE HELP. Tax planning is often as simple as looking for ways to reduce taxable income, delay a tax bill, increase tax deductions, and take advantage of all available tax credits. The best place to start is to bolster your level of tax knowledge by picking up the phone and asking for assistance. Thankfully, it’s not too late to get on track for 2021. If you haven’t scheduled a tax planning session, now is a great time to do so. EVEN NON-INCOME TAX STATES HAVE TAXES With the increased popularity of working-at-home, you may consider moving to one of the nine states that don’t impose an individual income tax. Before doing so, you should understand how each of these states raises its revenue. And then consider how you can reduce your tax obligation in your current home state. Here’s some help. According to Kiplinger and the Tax Foundation, here is how the nine states that collect no individual income taxes collect money from their residents. ALASKA Alaska is one of five states with no sales tax, but local jurisdictions may impose sales taxes, with rates reaching 7.5%. The average is 1.76%. The median property tax rate is $1,182 per $100,000 of assessed home value, slightly above the national average. FLORIDA The statewide sales tax is 6%, but local jurisdictions can add up to 2.5%, with an average combined rate of 7.08%. The median property tax rate is $830 per $100,000 of assessed home value, a middle-of-the-road figure nationally. NEVADA The state sales tax rate is 6.85% while local jurisdictions can add up to 1.53%. The average combined rate is a lofty 8.23%. The median property tax rate is $533 per $100,000 of assessed home value, one of the lowest in the country. NEW HAMPSHIRE Besides no state income tax, this tax haven has no state or local sales taxes. Property tax is the main revenue source. The median property tax rate is $2,050 per $100,000 of assessed home value, the third-highest rate in the U.S. SOUTH DAKOTA The 4.5% state tax may increase to an average combined rate of 6.4%, below the national average. The median property tax rate is $1,219 per $100,000 of assessed home value, above the national average. TENNESSEE Tennessee previously had an income tax on dividends and interest, but it disappeared after 2020. The current 7% state sales tax rate may be combined with a 2.75% on sales of single items for an overall maximum rate of 9.55%, the highest in the U.S. The median property tax rate is $636 per $100,000 of assessed home value, below the national average. TEXAS The sales tax in the Lone Star state is 6.25%, plus local jurisdictions can add up to 2%, with an average combined rate of 8.19%, which is well above the national average. The median property tax rate is $1,692 per $100,000 of assessed home value, which is a tie for the seventh-highest rate in the country. WASHINGTON Municipalities can increase the 6.5% state levy by 4% for an average combined rate of 9.23%, the fourth-highest in the nation. The median property tax rate is $929 per $100,000 of assessed home value. This is middle of the pack. Unlike the other eight states, Washington has an estate tax, with a $2.193 million exemption (indexed for inflation). Tax rates range from 10% to 20%. WYOMING The 4% sales tax may be increased by municipalities for a combined rate of 5.33%. This is the eighth-lowest in the U.S. The median property tax rate is $575 per $100,000 of assessed home value, tied for the tenth-lowest in the nation. HERE ARE SOME IDEAS TO LOWER YOUR PROPERTY AND SALES TAX BILLS: Appeal your property’s valuation assessment. You may be able to lower your property tax bill by providing evidence that your home’s assessed value should be lower. Start your appeals process by contacting your county assessor’s office. Some appeals can be done online, while others may require a visit to your assessor’s local office. Shop during tax-free weekends. Many states feature one or two weekends each year where sales taxes are suspended. These sales tax holidays sometimes correspond to high volume shopping periods, such as back-to-school sales in late summer. Deduct sales taxes on your Form 1040 tax return. You’re allowed to deduct up to $10,000 of combined property taxes and sales taxes on your tax return, so be sure to look into this deduction if you itemize your Schedule A deductions. The only potential headache if you deduct sales taxes is needing to track and record all sales taxes you’ve paid throughout the year. As always, should you have any questions or concerns regarding your tax situation please feel free to call. UPCOMING DATES: September 15 – Filing deadline for extended 2020 calendar-year S corporation and partnership tax returns – 3rd quarter installment of 2021 estimated income tax is due for individuals, calendar-year corporations and calendar-year trusts & estates October 15 – Filing deadline for extended 2020 individual and C corporation tax returns GIVE YOUR BUSINESS AN END-OF-SUMMER CHECK-UP As summer winds down, your business’s financial statements may be due for a quick check-up. Here are several review suggestions to help determine the health of your business prior to year end. BALANCE SHEET RECONCILIATIONS. Reconcile each asset and liability account every quarter. A well-supported balance sheet can guide decisions about cash reserves, debt financing, inventory management, receivables, payables, and property. Regular monitoring can highlight vulnerabilities, providing time for corrective action. DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE. Do you have enough cash to adequately handle principal and interest payments? Calculate your cash flow to ensure you can handle both current and future monthly loan payments. PROJECTED REVENUE. Take a look at your income statements and see how your revenue has performed so far this year versus what you thought your revenue was going to be. If revenue varies from what you expect, get with your sales and marketing team to pinpoint what has gone better, or worse, than expected. PROJECTED EXPENSES. Put a stop to disappearing cash by conducting a variance analysis of your expenses. What did you expect to spend so far in 2021 on salaries and wages compared to what you actually paid your employees? What about other big expenses like rent or insurance? Take the amount of money actually spent so far in 2021 in each of your major expense accounts and compare it to your spending forecast. Then create an updated forecast for the balance of the year. A review of your financial statements now will help you be prepared if you need to navigate an obstacle or capitalize on potential opportunities to expand your business. Please call if you have any questions on how to dig deeper in your analysis of your business’s financial statements. IT’S BACK! INFLATION IS AMONG US. HOW TO SHIELD YOUR MONEY FROM INFLATION. Recent high inflation rates are driving up the price for almost everything and eroding the value of your money. With varying opinions on the potential duration of the current inflation surge, it’s important to understand the causes and how you can protect your money. POSSIBLE CAUSES OF THIS INFLATION While the root causes of inflation are not always easy to identify, the premise is simple – prices are going up for goods and services. This is often because demand is higher than supply. Here are some of the basic drivers of today’s inflation. The demand-pull situation. Demand for a product increases but the supply remains the same. Think of a vendor selling ponchos at a state fair. If it rains, demand is going to spike and fair-goers are willing to pay up to keep dry. This situation is rampant during the pandemic, as we all see runs on things like toilet paper and hand sanitizer. And now we are seeing pent-up demand being released, as some of the pandemic restrictions are eased. An example of this is popular vacation locations being all booked in advance. The cost-push situation. Demand stays constant but supply is reduced. An example of this is a lower-yield crop season when a major drought hits a region. Consumers still want their dinner salads, but lettuce is sparse. So retailers charge more to cover their increased costs. Or when paper mills switched production to handle higher toilet paper demand, pulp used for paper and packaging had supply reductions creating a shortage which increased their prices. Factoring in the money supply. The more money there is available to spend (high money supply), the more the demand on all goods and services goes up. This is being manifested in wage increases as employers are having a hard time filling jobs and is also the result of many of the government spending programs during the pandemic. IDEAS TO PROTECT YOURSELF DURING HIGH INFLATION Alternative savings that is NOT cash. The value of your money sitting in your wallet or in low interest bank accounts is shrinking before your eyes. The past year has seen the highest inflation rates in the last decade at 5.4%, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). That means if your savings account is earning 0.6%, you’ve lost 4.8% in purchasing power over the last 12 months. Get your money to work for you by considering: Low risk, dividend-paying stocks CDs, bonds and other investments with various maturities to prepare for higher rates Direct lending vehicles through vetted, respected facilitators Investing directly in property, small businesses or other tangible assets Invest in yourself to learn a new trade or skill Lock in fixed rates on debt. Inflation can be your friend if you have a low interest, fixed-rate loan. For example, inflation will tend to increase the value of your house over time, yet your monthly payment will remain the same. So borrowing money at a low fixed interest rate, while the underlying property value increases with inflation, can be a strategy to consider. Delay large expenditures. Do your part to reduce demand by postponing large purchases. Consider delaying the purchase of a new car, adding to your home or taking an overseas trip until demand flattens and prices come back to a normal rate. It’s impossible to avoid the effects of high inflation altogether, but with some smart investing and the will-power to temporarily curb spending, you can reduce inflation’s impact on your personal bottom line. This entry was posted in News on September 28, 2021. August 2021 Newsletter Summertime means the 2020 tax filing season is firmly in the rearview mirror for millions of Americans! This year, summer also means more money for you thanks to the child tax credit advance payments. Find out what you need to know about these payments in this month’s newsletter. Also read about how to maximize your vehicle expense deduction if you’re a business owner, and several things to consider when looking for your next banking relationship. Please call if you would like to discuss how this information could impact your situation. If you know someone who could benefit from this newsletter, feel free to send it to them. GET YOUR CHILD TAX CREDIT PAYMENTS NOW! The first advance payment from the newly expanded child tax credit was recently sent out by the IRS. Payments are scheduled to be made on the 15th of each month through December. Here’s what you need to know about the child tax credit and the advance payments. BACKGROUND For the 2021 tax year, an expanded child tax credit reduces your tax bill by $3,600 if you have a qualifying child that’s age 5 or under, or by $3,000 if you have a qualifying child from age 6 to 17. If the total amount of the child tax credit for your family exceeds the total taxes you owe, you’ll receive the amount of the credit as a refund. CHILD TAX CREDIT ADVANCE PAYMENTS Instead of waiting to file your tax return to receive the entire amount of your child tax credit, the IRS is directed by Congress to send 50% of the credit to you in six monthly payments beginning in July 2021. For example, say you have three kids, ages 10, 12 and 16. Also assume your income is not too high and your children meet the IRS definition of a qualifying child. Instead of waiting until 2022 when you file your 2021 tax return to receive the entire $9,000 child tax credit, you can get paid half of the child tax credit amount, or $4,500, in 2021. The advance payments began July 15 and continue for six months until December 15. The family in this example would receive six payments of $750 starting July 15, for a total of $4,500. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW The monthly payments are automatic. You’ll automatically receive advance payments if: You filed a 2019 or 2020 tax return and claimed the credit, OR You gave information in 2020 to receive the Economic Impact Payment using the IRS non-filer tool, AND The IRS thinks you are eligible, AND You did not opt-out of the early payments. Register with the IRS. If you didn’t file a 2019 or 2020 tax return but are otherwise eligible for the child tax credit, you’ll need to register with the IRS to receive the child tax credit. Click here to visit the IRS website to find out if you need to register. Consider if you should opt out of the advance payments. Getting half of your child tax credit ahead of time may not be the right move for everyone. For example, if your 2021 income ends up higher than expected, you may need to pay back the advance payments when you file your tax return. To opt out, click here to visit the IRS’s child tax credit update portal. HELP! I JUST GOT A LETTER FROM THE IRS Summertime means the 2020 tax filing season is firmly in the rearview mirror for millions of Americans. But summertime is also the season when the IRS sends letters to unlucky taxpayers demanding more money! If you receive a notice from the IRS, do not automatically assume it is correct and submit payment to make it go away. Because of all the recent tax law changes and so little time to implement the changes, the IRS can be wrong more often than you think. These IRS letters, called correspondent audits, need to be taken seriously, but not without undergoing a solid review. Here’s what you need to do if you receive one. Stay calm. Don’t overreact to getting a letter from the IRS. This is easier said than done, but remember that the IRS sends out millions of these correspondence audits each year. The vast majority of them correct simple oversights or common filing errors. Open the envelope! You would be surprised how often taxpayers are so stressed by receiving a letter from the IRS that they cannot bear to open the envelope. If you fall into this category, try to remember that the first step in making the problem go away is to open the correspondence. Conduct a careful review. Review the letter. Understand exactly what the IRS is explaining that needs to be changed and determine whether or not you agree with their findings. The IRS rarely sends correspondence to correct an oversight in your favor, but sometimes it happens. Respond timely. The IRS will tell you what it believes you should do and within what time frame. Ignore this information at your own risk. Delays in responses could generate penalties and additional interest payments. Get help. You are not alone. Getting assistance from someone who deals with this all the time makes the process go much smoother. And remember, some of these letters could be scams from someone impersonating the IRS! Correct the IRS error. Once you understand what the IRS is asking for, a clearly written response with copies of documentation will cure most IRS correspondence audits received in error. Often the error is due to the inability of the IRS computers to match documents it receives (for example 1099s or W-2s) to your tax return. Pointing out the information on your tax return might be all it takes to solve the problem. Certified mail is your friend. Any responses to the IRS should be sent via certified mail or other means that clearly show you replied to their inquiry before the IRS’s deadline. This will provide proof of your timely correspondence. Lost mail can lead to delays, penalties, and additional interest tacked on to your tax bill. Don’t assume it will go away. Until receiving definitive confirmation that the problem has been resolved, you need to assume the IRS still thinks you owe them money. If no correspondence confirming the correction is received, you should follow-up with another written confirmation request to the IRS. UPCOMING DATES: September 6 – Labor Day September 15 – Filing deadline for 2020 calendar-year S corporation and partnership tax returns on extension – 3rd quarter installment of 2021 estimated income tax is due for individuals, calendar-year corporations and calendar-year trusts & estates MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR VEHICLE EXPENSE DEDUCTION Tracking your miles whenever you drive somewhere for your business can get pretty tedious, but remember that properly tracking your vehicle expenses and miles driven can lead to a significant reduction in your taxes. Here are some tips to make the most of your vehicle expense deduction. Keep track of both mileage and actual expenses. The IRS generally lets you use one of two different methods to track vehicle expenses – the standard mileage rate method or the actual expense method. One year the mileage method may result in a higher deduction, while the actual expense method may be higher in a subsequent year. But you won’t know which method results in a higher deduction unless you track both your mileage and actual expenses. Consider using standard mileage the first year a vehicle is in service. If you use standard mileage the first year your car is placed in service, you can then choose which expense tracking method to use in subsequent years. If you initially use the actual expense method the first year your car is placed in service, you’re locked in to using actual expenses for the duration of using that car in your business. For a car you lease, you must use the standard mileage rate method for the entire lease period (including renewals) if you choose the standard mileage rate the first year. Don’t forget about depreciation! Depreciation can significantly increase your deduction if you use the actual expense method. For heavy SUVs, trucks, and vans with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating above 6,000 pounds, 100% bonus depreciation is available through the end of the 2022 tax year if the vehicle is used more than 50% for business purposes. Regular depreciation is available for vehicles under 6,000 pounds with annual limits applied. Don’t slack on recordkeeping. The IRS mandates that you track your vehicle expenses as they happen (this is called contemporaneous recordkeeping). You’re not allowed to wait until right before filing your tax return to compile all the necessary information needed to claim a vehicle deduction. Whether it’s a physical notebook you stick in your glove compartment or a mobile phone app, pick a method to track your mileage and actual expenses that’s most convenient for you. Please call if you have any questions about maximizing your business’s vehicle expense deduction. GET THE BEST BANK FOR YOUR BUCK A checking account at one bank is the same as a checking account at another bank, right? Well, maybe not. In fact, according to the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study, now 41% of people do all their banking online. This is a pretty big shift from traditional banking. After reviewing the financial strength of a bank, here are several other things to consider as you decide what’s really most important to you in selecting a bank. THE ONLINE BANK VERSUS NEARBY LOCATION While having a nearby brick-and-mortar location is important to many banking consumers, you might find better interest rates with an online-only bank because they don’t spend lots of money to maintain physical branches. As people switch to taking care of all their basic banking transactions online, one of the reasons to visit your local bank branch is to talk with a banker. If you believe you’d benefit from such discussion, make sure the online bank you’re considering will facilitate that for you. UNDERSTAND KEY BANK FEES In addition to charging loan fees when they lend out money, banks bring in much of their revenue by charging fees on your deposit accounts. You’ll have a much more positive experience by ensuring your bank’s fees don’t outweigh the benefits of the account you’re considering. Here are three key fees to understand: Monthly maintenance fees. This is a monthly fee a bank charges on an account. Understand how yours works. Banks will waive these fees if your account is above a certain balance. Others waive the fees if you behave in a way they want you to behave. For instance, if you use a debit card versus writing a paper check. Others want you to make direct deposits. Still others want you to use their bill pay service. Understand this fee class and determine if you can abide by the terms your bank sets for them. Overdraft fees. These fees are charged to a checking account if you attempt to buy something but don’t have enough money in your account. There are a variety of ways to avoid overdraft fees, such as signing up for a protection program or linking your savings account to automatically pay the rest of the bill. Take the time to understand your bank’s options to avoid overdrafts and the cost associated with them. ATM fees. Some ATMs require you to pay money to use their machines, especially if the ATM you’re using isn’t in your bank’s network. Don’t overlook the opportunity to save money by ensuring that the bank you’re considering supplies ATMs in your area so you won’t have to pay a fee every time you need to use an ATM. OTHER BANKING TOOLS Banks often provide tools to help you budget your daily and monthly expenses. Many offer free credit scores and credit monitoring. Others offer automatic transfers into a savings account. Still others offer the ability to open multiple savings accounts and label each account for different purposes. Keep these tips in mind the next time you need to choose a new bank. With many different banks to choose from, a little research can ensure the bank you choose fits your financial needs and priorities. This entry was posted in News on August 18, 2021. Nelson Couto and Anthony DeFranco have been chosen as FIVE STAR Wealth Managers for the sixth consecutive year! Nelson Couto, CPA, CFP®, and Anthony DeFranco, CPA, CFP®, MS (Taxation) of Couto DeFranco, P.A. have been named as 2019 Five Star Wealth Managers and will be featured in the Wall Street Journal, February 27th issue. Out of the 6,097 wealth managers in New Jersey who were seriously considered for the award, 477 were named. This is their sixth time winning this prestigious award. Nelson and Anthony were previous recipients of the award beginning in 2013. “We are thrilled to be chosen as a Five Star Wealth Manager by New Jersey Monthly, and extremely proud that the work we have done for our clients has been recognized,” says Anthony DeFranco. Couto and DeFranco are regarded as leaders in the field of wealth management. They combine their knowledge of financial services with over 25 years as CPAs, helping their clients with their wealth management and tax planning needs, along with assisting them with their financial goals and aspirations. They believe the best way to help clients reach their financial goals is simple: to listen. “It is important to listen to where they are today and where they want to be tomorrow,” says Nelson Couto. The partners feel that clients are paying them for their knowledge—both as NJ Certified Public Accountants and as Certified Financial Planner™ professionals—so it is their responsibility to develop a financial strategy that is sound, objective and honest. This model has been their secret to success. Nelson Couto and Anthony DeFranco, established the NJ CPA firm of Couto DeFranco, P.A. in 1992 and are located in West Orange, N.J. The firm serves individuals, businesses, estates and trusts. For more information on their full suite of accounting, wealth management, tax preparation and planning services, please call 973-325-3370 or visit the company’s website at http://www.accountants-nj.com This entry was posted in Press on May 16, 2019. Individual Retirement Accounts Are An Important Way to Save for Retirement. If you have an IRA or may open one soon, there are some key year-end rules that you should know. Here are the top four reminders on IRAs from the IRS: Know the limits. You can contribute up to a maximum of $5,500 ($6,500 if you are age 50 or older) to a traditional or Roth IRA. If you file a joint return, you and your spouse can each contribute to an IRA even if only one of you has taxable compensation. In some cases, you may need to reduce your deduction for traditional IRA contributions. This rule applies if you or your spouse has a retirement plan at work and your income is above a certain level. You have until April 15, 2015, to make an IRA contribution for 2014. Avoid excess contributions. If you contribute more than the IRA limits for 2014, you are subject to a six percent tax on the excess amount. The tax applies each year that the excess amounts remain in your account. You can avoid the tax if you withdraw the excess amounts from your account by the due date of your 2014 tax return (including extensions). Take required distributions. If you’re at least age 70½, you must take a required minimum distribution, or RMD, from your traditional IRA. You are not required to take a RMD from your Roth IRA. You normally must take your RMD by Dec. 31, 2014. That deadline is April 1, 2015, if you turned 70½ in 2014. If you have more than one traditional IRA, you figure the RMD separately for each IRA. However, you can withdraw the total amount from one or more of them. If you don’t take your RMD on time you face a 50 percent excise tax on the RMD amount you failed to take out. Claim the saver’s credit. The formal name of the saver’s credit is the retirement savings contributions credit. You may qualify for this credit if you contribute to an IRA or retirement plan. The saver’s credit can increase your refund or reduce the tax you owe. The maximum credit is $1,000, or $2,000 for married couples. The credit you receive is often much less, due in part because of the deductions and other credits you may claim. This entry was posted in Investment on February 16, 2015. Categories Investment News Press Recent Posts November 2021 Newsletter October 2021 Newsletter September 2021 Newsletter Certifications & Accreditations Site Navigation Home About Services Industries Resources Careers Blog Pay Invoice Contact Our Offices 300 Executive Drive, Ste 200 West Orange, NJ 07052, USA Review Us on Google Contact Us Telephone: (973) 325-3370 Fax: (973) 325-3371 Message © Copyright 2021 Couto Defranco. All Rights Reserved. Nelson J. Couto, Anthony DeFranco Jr., Registered Representatives. Securities offered through Avantax Investment Services sm, Member FINRA,SIPC, Investment Advisory services offered through Avantax Advisory Services sm, Insurance services offered through Avantax Insurance Agency sm. Couto DeFranco, P.A. is not a registered broker/dealer or registered investment advisory firm.