Masters & Jorgensen, Inc.

Act now to cut your 2018 tax bill

November 14, 2018

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) created more than 100 new tax provisions — a staggering thought as you begin to prepare for the next filing season. The good news is that these and some of the surviving provisions create a wealth of year-end planning opportunities. Choose the right approach to deductions Many taxpayers […]

IRS proposes regulations for Opportunity Zone tax incentives

November 12, 2018

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) includes a provision that Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said should lead to $100 billion in capital investments in distressed areas. The provision allows taxpayers to defer tax on capital gains by investing in such Opportunity Zones. And now the IRS has released proposed regulations for this […]

Year-end tax planning for businesses in the new tax environment

November 9, 2018

The passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in late 2017 brought significant changes to the tax landscape. As the first tax season under the law looms on the horizon, new year-end tax planning strategies are emerging. Meanwhile, some of the old tried-and-true strategies have changed and others remain viable. Fresh opportunities The […]

The business meal expense deduction lives on post-TCJA

November 7, 2018

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was packed with goodies for businesses, but it also seemed to eliminate the popular meal expense deduction in some situations. Now, the IRS has issued transitional guidance — while it works on proposed regulations — that confirms the deduction remains allowable in certain circumstances and clarifies when businesses […]

IRS issues new TCJA guidance for businesses

November 5, 2018

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) created a new general business tax credit for certain businesses that grant their qualifying employees paid family and medical leave in 2018 and 2019. The IRS now has released Notice 2018-71, which addresses several related issues, including eligibility, types of leave covered and calculation of the credit amount. […]

3 bills form Tax Reform 2.0

November 2, 2018

On September 13, the House Ways and Means Committee passed three separate bills that will be the cornerstone of what is being referred to as Tax Reform 2.0. The bills focus on making permanent certain provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that affect individuals, families, and small businesses. They also promote family […]

How to reduce the tax risk of using independent contractors

September 24, 2018

Classifying a worker as an independent contractor frees a business from payroll tax liability and allows it to forgo providing overtime pay, unemployment compensation and other employee benefits. It also frees the business from responsibility for withholding income taxes and the worker’s share of payroll taxes. For these reasons, the federal government views misclassifying a […]

Keep it SIMPLE: A tax-advantaged retirement plan solution for small businesses

September 21, 2018

If your small business doesn’t offer its employees a retirement plan, you may want to consider a SIMPLE IRA. Offering a retirement plan can provide your business with valuable tax deductions and help you attract and retain employees. For a variety of reasons, a SIMPLE IRA can be a particularly appealing option for small businesses. […]

Assessing the S corp

September 19, 2018

The S corporation business structure offers many advantages, including limited liability for owners and no double taxation (at least at the federal level). But not all businesses are eligible – and, with the new 21% flat income tax rate that now applies to C corporations, S corps may not be quite as attractive as they […]