Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | Nesteggg Accounting- Part 2

Here’s how tax reform changed accounting methods for small businesses

Here’s how tax reform changed accounting methods for small businesses

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – better known simply as tax reform – allows more small business taxpayers to use the cash method of accounting. Tax reform now defines a small business taxpayer as a taxpayer that has average annual gross receipts of $25 million or less for the three prior tax years and is not a tax shelter.

Here’s how last year’s legislation changed the rules for small business taxpayers. The law:

Expands the number of small business taxpayers eligible to use the cash method of accounting by increasing the average annual gross receipts threshold from $5 million to $25 million, indexed for inflation.
Allows small business taxpayers with average annual gross receipts of $25 million or less for the three prior tax years to use the cash method of accounting.
Exempts small business taxpayers from certain accounting rules for inventories, cost capitalization and long-term contracts.
Allows more small business taxpayers to use the cash method of accounting for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2017.

Revenue Procedure 2018-40 provides the procedures that a small business taxpayer may use to obtain automatic consent to change its methods of accounting to reflect these statutory changes.

Get Ready for Taxes: Here’s how the new tax law revised family tax credits

Get Ready for Taxes:
Here’s how the new tax law revised family tax credits

WASHINGTON – More families will be able to get more money under the newly-revised Child Tax Credit, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

This is the third in a series of reminders to help taxpayers get ready for the upcoming tax filing season. Additionally, the IRS has recently updated a special page on its website with steps to take now for the 2019 tax filing season.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the tax reform legislation passed in December 2017, doubled the maximum Child Tax Credit, boosted income limits to be able to claim the credit, and revised the identification number requirement for 2018 and subsequent years. The new law also created a second smaller credit of up to $500 per dependent aimed at taxpayers supporting older children and other relatives who do not qualify for the Child Tax Credit.

“As we approach the 2019 tax-filing season, I want to remind taxpayers to take advantage of this valuable tax credit if they are eligible to claim it,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “Tax reform changed the tax code significantly and doubling the Child Tax Credit is an example of how the changes impact taxpayers.”

Here are some important things taxpayers need to know as they plan for the tax-filing season in early 2019:

Child Tax Credit increased

Higher income limits mean more families are now eligible for the Child Tax Credit. The credit begins to phase out at $200,000 of modified adjusted gross income, or $400,000 for married couples filing jointly, which is up from the 2017 levels of $75,000 for single filers or $110,000 for married couples filing jointly.

Increased from $1,000 to $2,000 per qualifying child, the credit applies if the child is younger than 17 at the end of the tax year, the taxpayer claims the child as a dependent, and the child lives with the taxpayer for more than six months of the year. The qualifying child must also have a valid Social Security Number issued before the due date of the tax return, including extensions.

Up to $1,400 of the credit can be refundable for each qualifying child. This means an eligible taxpayer may get a refund even if they don’t owe any tax.

For more information, see Publication 972, Child Tax Credit, available soon on IRS.gov.

New Credit for Other Dependents

A new tax credit – Credit for Other Dependents — is available for dependents for whom taxpayers cannot claim the Child Tax Credit. These dependents may include dependent children who are age 17 or older at the end of 2018 or parents or other qualifying relatives supported by the taxpayer.

During the upcoming tax-filing season, the IRS urges taxpayers to use the agency’s Interactive Tax Assistant to see if they qualify for either of these credits. To find out more, visit IRS.gov.

Taxpayers with children, other dependents should check withholding ASAP

Taxpayers with children, other dependents should check withholding ASAP

Taxpayers who have children and other dependents should use the Withholding Calculator on IRS.gov to perform a “paycheck checkup.” The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was passed late last year, includes changes that will affect 2018 tax returns that people will file in 2019.

Doing a checkup ASAP will help taxpayers determine if they need to adjust their withholding on their paychecks. The earlier they do this, the better. The sooner someone checks it, the more time there is for withholding to take place evenly during the rest of the year. Waiting until later in the year means there are fewer pay periods to make the tax changes.

The new law made changes to the child tax credit and personal exemptions. Taxpayers should do a “paycheck checkup” to determine if the tax law changes could affect their tax situation this year. Here is an overview of the changes to the law that could affect the withholding of parents and caretakers:

Child tax credit

The maximum child tax credit increased from $1,000 to $2,000 per qualifying child.
Taxpayers whose income was too high to benefit from the Child Tax Credit in prior years may now find they qualify.
The credit now phases out at $400,000 for couples and $200,000 for singles, compared with 2017 amounts of $110,000 for couples and $75,000 for singles.

Additional child tax credit

The maximum additional child tax credit increased from $1,000 to $1,400.
The ACTC is a refundable credit for taxpayers who owe little or no federal income tax.

Credit for other dependents

There’s a new $500 credit that can benefit taxpayers who support other dependents.
The taxpayer will claim the credit when filing a tax return.
For purposes of this new credit, other dependents include qualifying children or qualifying relatives, such as a college student or an elderly parent.

Personal exemption

The new law removes the personal exemption that taxpayers formerly claimed for themself, their spouse and dependents.

The Withholding Calculator allows taxpayers to enter their expected 2018 income, deductions, adjustments and credits – including the child tax credit. Users can click on definitions in the calculator for help in figuring out who qualifies for these expanded credits.

For information about how to use the calculator and how to change withholding, taxpayers can check out the IRS Tax Reform Tax Tips on IRS.gov.

Taxpayers may also need to determine if they should make adjustments to their state or local withholding. They can contact their state’s department of revenue to learn more.

IRS issues guidance on small business accounting method changes under Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

IRS issues guidance on small business accounting method changes under Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

IR-2018-160, Aug. 3, 2018

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service issued guidance today on new tax law changes that allow small business taxpayers with average annual gross earnings of $25 million or less in the prior three-year period to use the cash method of accounting.

The Revenue Procedure outlines the process that eligible small business taxpayers may obtain automatic consent to change accounting methods that are now permitted under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or TCJA.

The TCJA, enacted in December 2017, expands the number of small business taxpayers eligible to use the cash method of accounting and exempts these small businesses from certain accounting rules for inventories, cost capitalization and long-term contracts. As a result, more small business taxpayers will be allowed to change to cash method accounting starting after Dec. 31, 2017.

The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service welcome public comments on future guidance. For details on submitting comments, see the Revenue Procedure.

Updates on the implementation of the TCJA can be found on the Tax Reform page of IRS.gov.

Tax bill this year? Check withholding soon, avoid another one next year

Tax bill this year? Check withholding soon, avoid another one next year

Taxpayers who owed additional tax when they filed their 2017 federal tax return earlier this year can avoid another unexpected tax bill next year by doing a “paycheck checkup” as soon as possible, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the tax reform legislation passed in December, made major changes to the tax law, including increasing the standard deduction, removing personal exemptions, increasing the Child Tax Credit, limiting or discontinuing certain deductions and changing tax rates and brackets.

These far-reaching changes could have a big impact on the tax refund or balance due on the tax return people file next year. The IRS encourages every employee to do a “paycheck checkup” soon to ensure they have the correct amount of tax taken out of their pay.

Checking and adjusting withholding now can prevent an unexpected tax bill and penalties next year at tax time. The IRS Withholding Calculator and Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, can help.

The IRS encourages taxpayers to be proactive:

Do a ‘paycheck checkup’ soon

The Withholding Calculator can help taxpayers apply the new law to their specific financial situation and make an informed decision whether to change their withholding this year.
Adjust their withholding as soon as possible for an even, consistent amount of withholding throughout the rest of the year.
Taxpayers with more complex situations may need to use Publication 505. The publication is more effective for employees who owe self-employment tax, the alternative minimum tax or tax on unearned income from dependents. It can also help those who receive non-wage income such as dividends, capital gains, rents and royalties. Publication 505 includes worksheets and examples to guide taxpayers through their particular situations.

Underpayment penalties

To avoid paying the estimated tax penalty, taxpayers should ensure they have enough tax withheld from their paychecks and appropriate estimated tax payments. Ordinarily, taxpayers can avoid this penalty by paying at least 90 percent of their tax during the year.
If taxpayers expect to owe at least $1,000 in tax after subtracting withholding and refundable credits, they should make estimated tax payments.

Using the Withholding Calculator or Publication 505

Taxpayers should have their completed 2017 tax return handy to help estimate the amount of income, deductions, adjustments and credits to enter. They’ll also need their most recent pay stubs to help compute their withholding to date this year. Results from these tools depend on the accuracy of information a taxpayer provides.
Employees can use the results from the Withholding Calculator or Publication 505 to help determine if they should complete a new Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate, and, if so, what information to include on the form.
The calculator may also be helpful to recipients of pension and annuity income. These recipients can change their withholding by filling out Form W-4P and giving it to their payer.
If a taxpayer’s personal circumstances change during the year, they should re-check their withholding.

Adjusting withholding

If an employee determines they should adjust their withholding, they should complete a new Form W-4 and submit it to their employer as soon as possible.
Some employers have an electronic method to update a Form W-4.
Taxpayers who change their 2018 withholding should recheck their withholding at the start of 2019. A mid-year withholding change in 2018 may have a different full-year impact in 2019, so if taxpayers don’t submit a new Form W-4 for 2019, their withholding might be higher or lower than intended.
If an employee has a change in personal circumstances that reduces the number of withholding allowances they can claim, they must submit a new Form W-4 within 10 days of the change.
The fewer withholding allowances an employee enters on the Form W-4, the higher their tax withholding will be. Entering “0” or “1” on line 5 of the Form W-4 means more tax will be withheld; entering a bigger number means less tax will be withheld.

Additional information

The Withholding Calculator does not request personally identifiable information such as name, Social Security number, address or bank account numbers. The IRS does not save or record the information entered on the calculator. Taxpayers should be aware of tax scams, especially via email or phone and cybercriminals impersonating the IRS. The IRS does not send emails related to the calculator or the information entered in it.
The calculator and Publication 505 are not tax-planning tools. Taxpayers needing advice regarding the new tax law and personal situations should consult a trusted tax professional.

Taxpayers can get more information on these topics at www.irs.gov/withholding. For information on steps taxpayers can take now to get a jump on next year’s taxes, including how the new tax law may affect them, visit IRS.gov/getready.

« Previous Page

Here’s how tax reform changed accounting methods for small businesses

Get Ready for Taxes: Here’s how the new tax law revised family tax credits

Taxpayers with children, other dependents should check withholding ASAP

IRS issues guidance on small business accounting method changes under Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

Tax bill this year? Check withholding soon, avoid another one next year

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