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The Thomas Howell Ferguson Blog

Take advantage of the rehabilitation tax credit when altering or adding to business space

If your business occupies substantial space and needs to increase or move from that space in the future, you should keep the rehabilitation tax credit in mind. This is especially true if you favor historic buildings. The credit is equal to 20% of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures (QREs) for a qualified rehabilitated building that’s also […]

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Keep these DOs and DON’Ts in mind when deducting business meal and vehicle expenses

If you’re claiming deductions for business meals or auto expenses, expect the IRS to closely review them. In some cases, taxpayers have incomplete documentation or try to create records months (or years) later. In doing so, they fail to meet the strict substantiation requirements set forth under tax law. Tax auditors are adept at rooting […]

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Choosing an entity for your business? How about an S corporation?

If you’re starting a business with some partners and wondering what type of entity to form, an S corporation may be the most suitable form of business for your new venture. Here are some of the reasons why. A big benefit of an S corporation over a partnership is that as S corporation shareholders, you won’t […]

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THF Assurance Services Manager Chandler Russell, CPA is appointed Chair of the Supervisory Committee of Envision Credit Union Board of Directors

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF or “the Firm”), a professional accounting, assurance, governmental consulting, and tax services firm headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, is excited to recognize Assurance Services Manager Chandler Russell, CPA, on her re-election to the Envision Credit Union Board of Directors and appointed as Chair of the Supervisory Committee. Chandler was recently […]

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Education assistance benefits help attract, retain, and motivate your employees

Did you know your business can attract or retain employees by offering education assistance benefits? One popular fringe benefit is an education assistance program that allows employees to continue learning and perhaps earn a degree with financial assistance from their employers. One way to attract, retain and motivate employees is to provide education fringe benefits […]

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Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF) celebrates the 2022-2023 academic year with John G. Riley Elementary School and the Tallahassee Chamber Classroom Connection program

Thomas Howell Ferguson P.A. CPAs (THF) or “the Firm”, celebrated the end of a successful 2022-2023 academic school year with John G. Riley Elementary School and the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Classroom Connection program. THF continued its participation with the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Classroom Connection program in partnership with World Class Schools and Leon […]

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Protect the “ordinary and necessary” advertising expenses of your business

Is advertising a business expense? Does your company use advertising as a means to gain business? If so, you may be able to cut advertising taxes. Under tax law, businesses can generally deduct advertising and marketing expenses that help keep existing customers and bring in new ones. This valuable tax deduction can help businesses cut […]

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Changes in Section 174 make it a good time to review the R&E strategy of your business

Are there changes in Section 174? It’s been years since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 was signed into law, but it’s still having an impact. Several provisions in the law have expired or will expire in the next few years. One provision that took effect last year was the end of […]

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The tax advantages of hiring your child this summer

There are tax advantages of hiring your child(ren) for work during the summer. Learn how! Summer is around the corner, so you may be thinking about hiring young people at your small business. At the same time, you may have children looking to earn extra spending money. You can save family income and payroll taxes […]

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IRAs are subject to the unrelated business income tax

Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) described in section 408 are subject to the unrelated business income tax (UBIT) to the extent their gross unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) exceeds $1,000. IRA fiduciaries generally have the responsibility of filing Form 990-T, Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return, but the tax liability belongs to the IRA. […]

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2023 Q2 Tax calendar: Key deadlines for businesses and employers

Here are some of the key tax-related deadlines that apply to businesses and other employers during the second quarter of 2023. 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 […]

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Buying a new business vehicle? A heavy SUV is a tax-smart choice

Have you considered purchasing a business vehicle? Rather than getting a small car, a heavy SUV may be ideal to receive tax benefits on a business vehicle. Be mindful that a heavy SUV may provide a more generous tax break this year than you’d get from a smaller vehicle. The reason has to do with […]

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Do you run a business from home? You may be able to deduct home office expenses

You may be able to deduct home office expenses if you run a business from home. Learn more here. Many people began working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic — and many still run a business from home offices either all the time or on a hybrid basis. If you’re self-employed and run a business […]

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Key tax issues in M&A transactions

Merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions activity dropped dramatically last year due to rising interest rates and a slowing economy. The total value of M&A transactions in North America in 2022 was down 41.4% from 2021, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. But some analysts expect 2023 to see increased M&A activity in certain industries. If […]

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A Guide to Qualified Disaster Relief Funds and How They Affect Not-for-Profits

Do you have questions about qualified disaster relief funds? These can be different for different types of organizations. Let’s look at some details on this. What is a qualified disaster? Per IRC Code Section 139, a qualified disaster: What are qualified disaster relief funds? Qualified disaster relief funds provide aid to disaster victims and those […]

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Have employees who receive tips? Here are the tax implications

Many businesses in certain industries have employees who receive tips as part of their compensation. These businesses include restaurants, hotels, and salons. Tip definition Tips are optional payments that customers make to employees who perform services. For employees who receive tips, those can be cash or noncash. Cash tips include those received directly from customers, […]

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Many tax limits affecting businesses have increased for 2023

An array of tax-related limits that affect businesses are indexed annually, and due to high inflation, many have increased more than usual for 2023. Here are some that may be important to you and your business. Social Security tax The amount of employees’ earnings that are subject to Social Security tax is capped for 2023 […]

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Forms W-2 and 1099-NEC are due to be filed soon

With the 2023 filing season deadline drawing near, be aware that the deadline for businesses to file information returns for hired workers is even closer. By January 31, 2023, employers must file these forms: Form W-2, Wage, and Tax Statement. W-2 forms show the wages paid and taxes withheld for the year for each employee. They […]

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Employers: In 2023, the Social Security wage base is going up

The Social Security Administration recently announced that the wage base for computing Social Security tax would increase to $160,200 for 2023 (up from $147,000 for 2022). Wages and self-employment income above this threshold aren’t subject to Social Security tax. Basics about Social Security The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) imposes two taxes on employers, employees, […]

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Employers, be wary of ERC claims that are too good to be true

The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) was a valuable tax credit that helped employers that kept workers on staff during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the credit is no longer available, eligible employers that haven’t yet claimed it might still be able to do so by filing amended payroll returns for tax years 2020 […]

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2023 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 2023. Keep in mind that this list isn’t all-inclusive, so there may be additional deadlines that apply to you. If you have questions about filing requirements, contact us. We can ensure you’re meeting all applicable deadlines. January […]

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Choosing a business entity? Here are the pros and cons of a C corporation

If you’re launching a new business venture, you’re probably wondering which form of business is most suitable. Here is a summary of the major advantages and disadvantages of doing business as a C corporation. A C corporation allows the business to be treated and taxed as a separate entity from you as the principal owner. A […]

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How to minimize the S corporation LIFO recapture tax

If you’re considering converting your C corporation to an S corporation, be aware that there may be tax implications if you’ve been using the last in, first out (LIFO) inventory method. That’s because of the LIFO recapture income that will be triggered by converting to S corporation status. We can meet to compute what the […]

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The standard business mileage rate is going up in 2023

Although the national price of gas is a bit lower than it was a year ago, the optional standard mileage rate used to calculate the deductible cost of operating an automobile for business will be going up in 2023. The IRS recently announced that the 2023 cents-per-mile rate for the business use of a car, […]

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Do you qualify for the QBI deduction? And can you do anything by year-end to help qualify?

If you own a business, you may wonder if you’re eligible to take the qualified business income (QBI) deduction. This is sometimes referred to as the pass-through deduction or the Section 199A deduction. The QBI deduction is: Taxpayers other than corporations may be entitled to a deduction of up to 20% of their QBI. For […]

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Is your business closing? Here are your final tax responsibilities

Businesses shut down for many reasons. Some of the reasons that businesses shutter their doors: If you’ve decided to close your business, we’re here to assist you in any way we can, including taking care of the various tax obligations that must be met. A business must file a final income tax return and some […]

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