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If you have children, you may be able to reduce your tax bill using these tax credits and deductions. Child Tax Credit: You may be able to take this credit on your tax return for each of your children under age 17. Qualifying dependents must have a valid Social...

When it comes to creating a budget, it’s essential to estimate your spending as realistically as possible. Here are five budget-related errors commonly made by small businesses and some tips for avoiding them. Not Setting Goals. It’s almost impossible to set spending priorities without clear goals for the coming year....

Here’s what business owners need to know about tax changes for 2018. Standard Mileage Rates  The standard mileage rate in 2018 is 54.5 cents per business mile driven. Health Care Tax Credit for Small Businesses  Small business employers who pay at least half the premiums for single health insurance...

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) eliminated or modified numerous tax provisions starting in 2018. Here’s what individuals and families need to know as they get ready for tax season. Personal Exemptions  Personal exemptions are eliminated for tax years 2018 through 2025. Standard Deductions The standard...

December 10 Employees who work for tips – If you received $20 or more in tips during November, report them to your employer. You can use Form 4070. December 17 Corporations – Deposit the fourth installment of estimated income tax for 2018. A worksheet, Form 1120-W, is available to help you...

If you gave money or property to someone as a gift, you might owe federal gift tax. Many gifts are not subject to the gift tax, but there are exceptions. Here are eight tips you can use to figure out whether your gift is taxable. 1. Most gifts are...

You may have noticed recently that business bill-paying is undergoing a transition. While some paper bills still come via the U.S. Mail, you may also be getting some of those bills via email. Sometimes, you might get a reminder email, but then must go to the vendor’s site to...

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has declared a number of counties in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia disaster areas due to hurricanes Michael and Florence. Any area declared a major disaster as designated by FEMA qualifies for individual or public assistance. As such, individuals and residing...

Farmers and ranchers who were forced to sell livestock due to drought may get extra time to replace the livestock and defer tax on any gains from the forced sales. Here are some facts about this to help farmers understand how the deferral works and if they are eligible....

Businesses often need to hire workers on a seasonal or part-time basis. For example, some businesses may need seasonal help for holidays, harvest seasons, commercial fishing, or sporting events. Whether you are getting paid or paying someone else, questions often arise over whether these seasonal workers affect employers with...

As the end of year approaches, taxpayers should be reminded that business expense deduction for meals and entertainment have changed due to tax law changes in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Until proposed regulations clarifying when business meal expenses are deductible and what constitutes entertainment are in...

Thanks to tax reform legislation passed in December 2017, eligible taxpayers may now deduct up to 20 percent of certain business income from qualified domestic businesses, as well as certain dividends. Eligible taxpayers can claim the deduction for the first time on the 2018 federal income tax return they...