

You may be able to save more for retirement in 2019
Retirement plan contribution limits are indexed for inflation, and most have increased for 2019. So you may have opportunities to increase your retirement savings. Limits for 401(k)s, SIMPLEs and IRAs increase by $500, to $19,000, $13,000 and $6,000, respectively. Catch-up contributions (for taxpayers age 50 or older) remain unchanged, however. They’re $6,000, $3,000 and $1,000, respectively. Additional factors may affect how much you’re allowed to contribute. For more on how


Business owners: An exit strategy should be part of your tax planning
Tax planning is a juggling act for business owners. You have to keep your eye on your company’s income and expenses and applicable tax breaks (especially if you own a pass-through entity). But you also must look out for your own financial future. For example, you need to develop an exit strategy so that taxes don’t trip you up when you retire or leave the business for some other reason. An exit strategy is a plan for passing on responsibility for running the company, transfer


6 last-minute tax moves for your business
Tax planning is a year-round activity, but there are still some year-end strategies you can use to lower your 2018 tax bill. Here are six last-minute tax moves business owners should consider: Postpone invoices. If your business uses the cash method of accounting, and it would benefit from deferring income to next year, wait until early 2019 to send invoices. Accrual-basis businesses can defer recognition of certain advance payments for products to be delivered or services to


Year-end tax and financial to-do list for individuals
With 2019 arriving here soon, there are several tax and financial to-dos you should address before 2018 ends. For example: Incur qualifying health care Flexible Spending Account expenses by Dec. 31 to use up these funds or you’ll potentially lose them. Also, max out contributions to retirement plans. Or, if applicable, take required minimum distributions from those plans. If gift and estate taxes are a concern, make $15,000 annual exclusion gifts. Finally, check your withhold


Can a PTO contribution arrangement help your employees and your business?
As the year winds to a close, most businesses see employees taking a lot of vacation time. After all, it’s the holiday season, and workers want to enjoy it. Some businesses, however, find themselves particularly short-staffed in December because they don’t allow unused paid time off (PTO) to be rolled over to the new year, or they allow only very limited rollovers. There are good business reasons to limit PTO rollovers. Fortunately, there’s a way to reduce the year-end PTO vo


Check deductibility before making year-end charitable gifts
With tax law changes going into effect in 2018 and many rules applying to the charitable deduction, it’s a good idea to check deductibility before making year-end donations. First, total up your potential itemized deductions for the year, including the donations you’re considering. The total must exceed your standard deduction (which has been nearly doubled by the TCJA) for year-end donations to provide a tax benefit. Next, make sure the organization is qualified: http://apps


2019 Q1 tax calendar: Key deadlines for businesses and other employers
Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines affecting businesses and other employers during the first quarter of 2019. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. Contact us to ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines and to learn more about the filing requirements. January 31 File 2018 Forms W-2, “Wage and Tax Statement,” with the Social Security Administration and provide copies to your employees. Provide