Blog

Businesses in certain industries employ service workers who receive tips as a large part of their compensation. These businesses include restaurants, hotels and salons. Compliance with federal and state tax regulations is vital if your business has employees who receive tips.

Chances are, you’re more concerned about your 2024 tax return right now than you are about your 2025 tax situation. That’s understandable because your 2024 individual tax return is due to be filed by April 15 (unless you file for an extension).

However, it’s a good time to familiarize yourself with tax amounts that may have changed for 2025 due to inflation.

Does your estate plan leave specific assets to specific family members? If so, you may want to reconsider your plan. While it may be tempting to say, leave your son your classic car and give your daughter a family heirloom, doing so risks inadvertently disinheriting other family members, even if you’ve gone out of your way to ensure that they’re treated equally.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate continues to be historically low, ranging from 4.0% to 4.3% from May to November of 2024. With today’s hiring challenges, business owners should be aware that the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is available to employers that hire workers from targeted groups who face significant barriers to employment.

Once you reach age 73, tax law requires you to begin taking withdrawals — called Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) — from your traditional IRA, SIMPLE IRA and SEP IRA. Since funds can’t stay in these accounts indefinitely, it’s important to understand the rules behind RMDs, which can be pretty complex.

Traditional estate planning strategies generally are based on the assumption that all family members involved are U.S. citizens. However, if you or your spouse is a noncitizen, special rules apply that require additional planning. Avoid costly tax traps by understanding how the U.S. gift and estate tax laws apply to noncitizens.

When deciding on the best structure for your business, one option to consider is a C corporation. This entity offers several advantages and disadvantages that may significantly affect your business operations and financial health. Here’s a detailed look at the pros and cons of operating as a C corporation.

Medicare health insurance premiums can add up to big bucks — especially if you’re upper-income, married, and you and your spouse both pay premiums. Read on to understand how taxes fit in.

Premiums for Part B coverage

Medicare Part B coverage is commonly called Medicare medical insurance.

In many respects, estate planning for single parents is similar to that of families with two parents. Parents want to provide for their children’s care and financial needs after they’re gone. However, when only one parent is involved, certain aspects of an estate plan demand special attention.

If you own a growing, unincorporated small business, you may be concerned about high self-employment (SE) tax bills. The SE tax is how Social Security and Medicare taxes are collected from self-employed individuals like you.

SE tax basics

The maximum 15.3% SE tax rate hits the first $168,600 of your 2024 net SE income.