Masters & Jorgensen, Inc.

Scrupulous records and legitimate business expenses are the key to less painful IRS audits

June 10, 2024

If you operate a business, or you’re starting a new one, you know records of income and expenses need to be kept. Specifically, you should carefully record expenses to claim all the tax deductions to which you’re entitled. And you want to make sure you can defend the amounts reported on your tax returns in […]

Coordinating Sec. 179 tax deductions with bonus depreciation

June 3, 2024

Your business should generally maximize current year depreciation write-offs for newly acquired assets. Two federal tax breaks can be a big help in achieving this goal: first-year Section 179 depreciation deductions and first-year bonus depreciation deductions. These two deductions can potentially allow businesses to write off some or all of their qualifying asset expenses in Year 1. […]

Bartering is a taxable transaction even if no cash is exchanged

May 27, 2024

If your small business is strapped for cash (or likes to save money), you may find it beneficial to barter or trade for goods and services. Bartering isn’t new — it’s the oldest form of trade — but the internet has made it easier to engage in with other businesses. However, if your business begins […]

Maximize the QBI deduction before it’s gone

May 20, 2024

The qualified business income (QBI) deduction is available to eligible businesses through 2025. After that, it’s scheduled to disappear. So if you’re eligible, you want to make the most of the deduction while it’s still on the books because it can potentially be a big tax saver. Deduction basics The QBI deduction is written off […]

Better tax break when applying the research credit against payroll taxes

May 13, 2024

The credit for increasing research activities, often referred to as the research and development (R&D) credit, is a valuable tax break available to certain eligible small businesses. Claiming the credit involves complex calculations, which we’ll take care of for you. But in addition to the credit itself, be aware that there are two additional features […]

President Biden’s proposed budget highlights his tax agenda

May 6, 2024

President Biden has released his proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year, including numerous tax provisions affecting both businesses and individual taxpayers. While most of these provisions have little chance of coming to fruition while the U.S. House of Representatives remains controlled by the Republican Party, they might gain new life depending on the outcome […]

Tax-wise ways to take cash from your corporation while avoiding dividend treatment

April 29, 2024

If you want to withdraw cash from your closely held corporation at a low tax cost, the easiest way is to distribute cash as a dividend. However, a dividend distribution isn’t tax efficient since it’s taxable to you to the extent of your corporation’s “earnings and profits,” but it’s not deductible by the corporation. 5 […]

Taking your spouse on a business trip? Can you write off the costs?

April 22, 2024

A recent report shows that post-pandemic global business travel is going strong. The market reached $665.3 billion in 2022 and is estimated to hit $928.4 billion by 2030, according to a report from Research and Markets. If you own your own company and travel for business, you may wonder whether you can deduct the costs of having […]

What’s the best accounting method route for business tax purposes?

April 15, 2024

Businesses basically have two accounting methods to figure their taxable income: cash and accrual. Many businesses have a choice of which method to use for tax purposes. The cash method often provides significant tax benefits for eligible businesses, though some may be better off using the accrual method. Thus, it may be prudent for your […]