Tax services tricks plus firms

High status income tax services in Houston? Which receipts you’ll need to provide depends on whether you itemize your deductions or claim the standard deduction. You’ll want to choose whichever produces the greater write-off, but the only way to know for sure is to add up your itemized deductions and compare that with your standard deduction. For the 2019 tax year, the standard deduction for single taxpayers is $12,200 and for married couples filing jointly it is $24,400. For 2020, these amounts rise to $12,400 for single taxpayers and $24,800 for married couples filing jointly.

When you earn a high income, you tend to pay a higher percentage of taxes than average earners. There are exceptions, of course, but in general, people who earn more pay more. And, if you’re a high earner, you might think you have no choice — that you must resign yourself to bearing a high tax burden. But is that really the case? The short answer is no. We spend a lot of time talking about tax planning with our clients, including those who have sizable incomes. In fact, one of the most common questions we hear is this: What’s the best way to reduce taxable income?

Invest in Qualified Opportunity Funds: Taxpayers can defer paying capital gains by reinvesting their money into Qualified Opportunity Funds. The funds, which were created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, are intended to spur economic development and job creation in distressed communities. If money is held in a Qualified Opportunity Fund for seven years, 15% of the capital gains tax on the investment is eliminated. “It’s a wonderful tax incentive,” Zollars says. However, like other provisions of the tax reform law, the funds and their tax-savings benefits are scheduled to end in 2026. That means to have your money held in a fund for seven years, you’ll need to make an investment before Dec. 31, 2019.

Consult a tax professional before making any decisions that can affect your business tax return or spending money for the sole purpose of saving on taxes. Make sure you select someone who can help you all year, not just at tax time. Consider hiring an expert who can represent you before the IRS in case you’re ever audited. An enrolled agent might be your best bet. These professionals are designated by the IRS because they’ve passed a strenuous, three-part test, or because they actually worked for the IRS at some point. Note: These tips are not intended to be tax advice, but only to give you some tax-saving ideas to discuss with your tax professional. Every business is unique, and tax laws change frequently. See additional details at https://greentree.tax/best-bookkeeping-service-in-houston-texas/.

Give Options. If a customer is having trouble paying off debt, it might be possible for him to make payments over time. Try to work out a plan that will work for both the customer and your client. The goal is to get the customer to pay the entire debt as quickly as possible. Listen carefully and offer options until something workable is defined. Recap the Terms. Once a payment plan has been agreed to, verbally summarize the plan for the debtor. This summary should include specifics of when the debtor will send each payment, and what form of payment will be used. Then document it in writing via email, fax or letter. Ask the debtor to call or e-mail you once a payment has been sent.

It’s much easier to sort through everything now than when 2019 is a distant memory. In fact, reviewing and organizing your records monthly helps spread the workload throughout the year instead of cramming it all into a year-end rush. Take time to go through any forms you’ve already filed (like Form 941) to check for accuracy. Make sure to confirm EIN numbers, social security numbers, and anything else the IRS might use to identify you or your employees. And when you’re done, move all your forms, invoices, and receipts into the same place — whether it’s online or a in physical folder — so you’ll be ready for tax time.