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Tag Archives: Certified Public Accountant

Small Business Accounting, tax preparation

Tax Planning: Little-Known Expenses That are Tax-Deductible

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Tax returns are done for most US citizens. There are still millions of Americans and their accountants who are still working on their 2022 tax returns. ***

There are many deductions that filers forget or don’t even know are eligible. Billions of dollars are paid out by taxpayers that could have been saved. Your tax advisor is aware of these tax deductions as they are required to be updated on all new tax laws.

Here are some little-known expenses for your tax planning that may be tax-deductible:

1. Job Search Expenses: If you’re searching for a job in your current field, you may be able to deduct certain job search expenses, such as transportation costs, resume preparation, and employment agency fees. These deductions may be available even if you don’t get the job.
2. Professional Development Expenses: If you’re looking to improve your skills or education in your current field, you may be able to deduct the expenses associated with professional development courses, seminars, and conferences.
3. Jury paid. Most employers will pay employees’ salaries while they are serving on a jury but ask that they turn over their jury fees to the company. This income has to be reported as taxable income. If you gave that income to your employer, you could deduct the amount, so you aren’t taxed on that money.
4. Moving Expenses for Work: If you move for work-related reasons, you may be able to deduct certain moving expenses, such as transportation costs, storage expenses, and lodging costs. The distance between your new home and your new job must meet certain requirements, and there are other eligibility criteria to consider. If you’re an active-duty military member who is relocating, you can deduct these expenses as long as the government doesn’t reimburse you. The move must be permanent and ordered by the military. The deductions include gas, lodging, moving trucks, and shipping your cars and pets.
5. Home Office Expenses: If you work from home, you may be able to deduct certain home office expenses, such as utilities, internet expenses, and office equipment. The space must be used regularly and exclusively for work purposes to qualify for the deduction.
6. Investment Expenses: If you have investments, you may be able to deduct certain investment expenses, such as advisory fees, custodial fees, and other expenses related to managing your investments. If you have any mutual fund and stock dividends, they are automatically reinvested in extra shares, each reinvestment increases your tax basis in the stock refund or mutual fund. This reduces the amount of taxable capital when you sell your shares. 7. 7. Reinvested dividends which you subtract from the proceeds of sale to determine your gain means you will overpay your taxes.
8. State tax paid. If you owed taxes when you filed your 2021 state tax return in 2022, then you can include that amount with your state tax itemized deduction on your 2022 return. You may also include your state income taxes withheld from your paychecks or paid with quarterly estimated payments. Limited to a maximum of $10,000 per year.

These are just a few examples of little-known expenses that may be tax-deductible. However, there are many other deductions and credits available that can help reduce your tax bill. It’s important to do your tax planning with a qualified tax advisor to ensure that you are taking advantage of all the deductions and credits that you’re eligible for while also complying with all applicable tax laws and regulations.

A.K. Burton, PC, has been working with the IRS for our clients for many years. Our firm has experienced accountants who can help you plan your tax, file your tax returns, and represent you to the IRS. We do individual and business tax returns. Call us at (301) 365-1974 for a consultation.

We serve the Bethesda, Rockville, and Montgomery County, MD area.

*** You can find these deductions and other tax information on the IRS website.

tax preparation

Income Tax Preparation: How You Can Get Your Tax Refund ASAP

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The good news is that the IRS gave us an extra month to file our tax returns for 2020. It is May 17, 2021, and not April 15, 2021. ***

The bad news is that it may take a while to receive your tax refund.

It is frustrating, especially if you need the refund to catch up on bills you may have accumulated during the COVID crisis. Here are several ways you can get your tax refund quicker:

  1. E-File: Submit your tax returns electronically versus mailing your tax return in.
  2. Confirm that you have all your income documents before you file. You should have all of your 2020 income documents by now, but if you don’t, get them before you file. If you don’t have them and file your return, then you might have to amend your return(s). 
  3. Double-check your mailing address. This one is crucial! The IRS contacts you by mail for required updates on your tax return. Make sure your mailing address is correct so that you will receive all correspondence, (including a refund check), from the IRS. 
  4. Double-check your bank information on your return. If you choose direct deposit to speed up receiving your refund but fail to provide the correct bank account information, then you won’t receive your refund by direct deposit. 
  5. Check all your ID numbers. IRS has every citizen’s name and address on file. Each name has a unique ID number that is tied to the name, birthdate, income amount, and social security number. 
  6. Confirm that you are the only one claiming your dependent(s). If you know someone who could also claim your dependent on their tax return, then verify who will be claiming the dependent(s). If a dependent is claimed by more than one person, then the second tax return to claim them will be rejected by the IRS. 

Have a Certified Public Accountant file your tax returns for you. Tax laws are notoriously complicated and change year to year. So, save yourself the stress and fees by hiring a CPA to file your taxes for you. They can file them and represent you before the IRS. What’s not to like?!

As of this blog posting, there are still a few weeks left before the May 17, 2021 posting. Have you done all of the above?

A.K. Burton, PC, can do all your income tax preparation. We have experienced staff who can prepare and file your tax return and represent you before the IRS. Call us at (301) 365-1974 for a consultation. Our office is open. At this time we are not providing in-person services because of the pandemic. We serve the Bethesda, Rockville, and Montgomery County, MD area.

*** See the IRS website for updates on the new tax return due date for 2021.

Tax Advice

Why You Need a CPA to Do Your Tax Returns in 2020

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Albert Einstein once said, “The hardest thing to understand in the world is the income tax.”

Even Einstein, the smartest man in the world at that time, didn’t even understand how income taxes work! So, why does the average person tackle their income tax returns every year, thinking they can do it? 

We are not elitists here as we know most people do their tax returns to save money and also to keep their earnings confidential. However, most tax filers miss important information or commit several common errors. ***

So, as July 15, 2020, (the new Tax Day date due to the COVID-19 crisis) draws closer, you may want to consider having a certified public accountant (CPA) complete and file your taxes for these reasons:

  1. The tax laws are always changing: Every year, Congress makes changes to the tax laws which are then sent to the Internal Revenue Service to enforce. Most people do not have the time or patience to keep up with these laws. CPAs keep up with all these new laws and changes and can advise you on them.
  2. Earn $200,000 or more: Top income earners are always in the bullseye for the IRS. Thus, they are more likely to be audited. CPAs can assist the high-earner in filing everything correctly and also in watching for any red flags that might bring an audit.
  3. Back taxes are owed: Your CPA will help the client find out how much they owe, how they can pay in installments and how to avoid future issues. The CPA can also contact the IRS for you, represent you to them and work out a reasonable payment plan if it is needed.
  4. Saving for children: Children may go to college or need a trust. A CPA can help you set up a trust or financial investment.
  5. Inheritance: A large inheritance of cash or property can be both a blessing and a curse. A CPA can figure out how much needs to be paid to the IRS (if any) due to inheritance taxes. They can also advise on how much to pay in the future.
  6. Side-hustle or second job: Many people have side jobs now such as Uber or Lyft or rent out a room as an Airbnb. CPAs can determine how much is owed to the IRS and then advise for future earnings and withholdings.
  7. Save money…lots of money: As we discussed earlier, many people do their own tax returns thinking they can save money from having to pay an accountant. Unfortunately, they may end up losing money by not filing complete returns or listing all their write-offs. So, they end up paying the IRS thousands of more dollars than they should have. CPAs can save them a lot of money by filing correct and accurate tax returns. 

These are just a few of the reasons you may want to hire a CPA to do your 2019 tax return and your tax returns in the future. They have the knowledge, experience, and credibility. And, they do what is best for you. 

A.K. Burton, PC, has experienced certified public accountants (CPA) on staff who can file your tax returns and represent you to the IRS. Call us at (301) 365-1974 for a consultation. We serve the Bethesda, Rockville and Montgomery County. MD area.   

**For more about common errors on tax returns, visit this page at the IRS website.

Accounting, Tax Advice

How to Choose the Best Tax Advisor

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It’s only mid-way through the fall but it’s not too early to be thinking about your tax returns for next year.

In fact, now is the time to be thinking about your personal and business tax returns especially if you have had issues in the past and want to do it right or better this time. Your tax records and tax filings are too important to be done just by anyone, including yourself, who is unfamiliar with tax laws, deadlines and forms. It could be a serious financial and legal mistake to do it on your own without any advice.

So as the holidays draw closer, begin the search for a tax advisor. Here are Five Things to Consider When Choosing a Tax Advisor:

  1. Relevant Industry Experience: No tax advisor can know everything about every industry. Make sure you are comfortable with the amount of experience the tax advisor has with your industry. Don’t be afraid to ask the advisor if he has other clients in your industry and how long he has been doing work for them. The accounting firm partners should be able to tell you if they have enough experience to handle your case. If not, ask them to send you to a firm that can do it.
  2. Five-year Minimum experience: The senior member should have at least five to ten years of experience in completing business tax returns. Also, better to find a larger accounting firm with a variety of tax advisors. This means that the accountants have had diverse experiences with a variety of industries.
  3. Certified Public Accountant (“CPA”) Designation: As a business owner, your tax advisor should be a CPA at a minimum.  You can also choose an Atty/CPA as your tax advisor.  An Atty/CPA is a dually designated individual who is both an Attorney and a CPA and is generally more knowledgeable than an advisor who is just a CPA.  Either way make sure you have one or the other.  As a business owner you cannot afford not to.
  4. Audit Representation: IRS audits are a fact of life. Even though IRS audits are down recently, you never know and cannot control whether they will audit you next. Even the most honest among us have had to go through the stress and endure the headache of having an IRS auditor reviewing our tax returns. It is, then, crucial for your tax advisor to agree to represent you during any and all audits. They can answer questions, find documents and, most importantly, advise you on any issues druing the audit. You do not want to go through an audit alone. Make sure your tax advisor is there every plodding step of the way.
  5. Fees and Fee Structure: Before you sign up with any tax advisor, find out what they charge for their services. Make sure that you are comfortable with how and what they charge. Being organized with your business records can help prevent your Accounting Bill from getting out of control.  Quicken, Quickbooks, Mint or other accounting programs can help maintain your records in reasonable workable shape. Any paper documents should be organized by type and date. Avoid the “shoebox style of organization” which forces advisors to spend hours (and your money) trying to put it all together. You will save a lot on time and fees (and bad will) by organizing your documents.
  6. Location: With the advent of the internet and the 21st century, your tax advisor does not have to be a few blocks down the road, though being local saves on expenses, especially if you are audited. They can be in another city or state. However, if you have multiple businesses that require a lot of attention from professionals, then you will probably be better served by having someone local who can drop by and advise you on a more frequent basis and keep abreast of your local issues as well.

Yes, it seems too early to be talking about tax advisors, but you may already be rethinking that after reading this blog. That’s good because the next quarterly filing is coming up in January. Don’t go it alone. Find a licensed and experienced tax advisor today.

A.K. Burton, PC has experienced and licensed tax advisors on staff. If you need more advice on business and individual tax planning, contact us at (301) 365-1974 for more information or email us at info@cpa-maryland.com.