Small Business Tax Deduction Strategies

HR Law 101: Your employee handbook should include statements on these topics: a welcoming letter from the CEO, rules and procedures, your employment policies, compensation and benefits, safety and health rules, an affirmative action statement and an acknowledgment receipt form ...

The 12 members of the bipartisan “super panel” appointed by Congress are meeting to try to whittle down the national debt to a manageable level. And you can bet tax reform is on the table. Virtually every tax code provision is up for debate. What tax reform proposals can we expect to emerge from these closed-door meetings? Here are six:

Q.  To protect against a child’s spendthrift ways, my brother put his son’s home in our names (my wife and I). Can we deduct the property taxes?

For an individual, it may be preferable to be treated as an independent contractor, rather than an employee. You avoid income tax and employment tax withholding on payments and you can deduct related expenses on your Schedule C. But you have to be in business for yourself. Case in point:

It’s often difficult for young and middle-age taxpayers to come up with a down payment on a house. However, if you or your kids have your hearts set on a “dream home,” think outside the box: Consider an IRA as a secondary source of funds. Although IRAs are intended for retirement savings, tapping into your account might make sense if it helps to close the deal.

Employers often provide workers with the tools they need for their jobs or reimburse them for their out-of-pocket tool costs. As long as employers handle things correctly, tool-cost reimbursements are tax-free to employees and deductible by the employer. Strategy: Ensure that tool-cost reimbursements from your business are made via an “accountable plan.”

The damage caused by tornadoes, floods and other catastrophes this year should give taxpayers cause for concern. What if vital tax records are destroyed by an act of nature? Strategy: Take precautions before disaster strikes. Although tax records may be “reconstructed,” a better approach is to safe­guard them in a fire-resistant box or other ­secure location.

Q. Can I get a tax deduction for buying one of the new plug-in vehicles?

The IRS has released an updated list of 275,000 organizations that have lost their tax exemption because they haven’t filed tax returns for at least three years. It believes that most of the organizations are now defunct. Nevertheless, the IRS has provided procedures allowing these charities to obtain reinstatement.

Now that Congress has finally approved a debt ceiling agreement, you can expect another issue to gridlock both chambers now: tax reform.