Recent News

Turn a summer job into tax savings: Hire your child and reap the rewards

With summer fast approaching, you might be considering hiring young people at your small business. If your children are also looking to earn some extra money, why not put them on the payroll? This move can help you save on family income and payroll taxes, making it a win-win situation for everyone! Here are three tax benefits. 1. You can transfer business earnings Turn some of your high-taxed income into tax-free or low-taxed income by shifting some business earnings to a child as wages for services performed. For your business to deduct the wages as a business expense, the work...

Businesses considering incorporation should beware of the reasonable compensation conundrum

Small to midsize businesses have valid reasons for incorporating, not the least of which is putting that cool “Inc.” at the end of their names. Other reasons include separating owners’ personal assets from their business liabilities and offering stock options as an employee incentive. If you’re considering incorporation for your company, however, it’s essential to be aware of the associated risks. One of them is the reasonable compensation conundrum. How much is too much? Let’s say you decide to convert your business to a C corporation. After completing the incorporation process, you can pay owners, executives and other highly compensated employees...

Planning for the future: 5 business succession options and their tax implications

When it’s time to consider your business’s future, succession planning can protect your legacy and successfully set up the next generation of leaders or owners. Whether you’re ready to retire, you wish to step back your involvement or you want a solid contingency plan should you unexpectedly be unable to run the business, exploring different succession strategies is key. Here are five options to consider, along with some of the tax implications. 1. Transfer directly to family with a sale or gifts One of the most common approaches to succession is transferring ownership to a family member (or members). This...

6 essential tips for small business payroll tax compliance

Staying compliant with payroll tax laws is crucial for small businesses. Mistakes can lead to fines, strained employee relationships and even legal consequences. Below are six quick tips to help you stay on track. 1. Maintain organized records Accurate recordkeeping is the backbone of payroll tax compliance. Track the hours worked, wages paid and all taxes withheld. Organizing your documentation makes it easier to verify that you’re withholding and remitting the correct amounts. If you ever face an IRS or state tax inquiry, having clear, detailed records will save time and reduce stress. 2. Understand federal withholding Federal income tax. Employees...

Weighing the pluses and minuses of HDHPs + HSAs for businesses

Will your company be ready to add a health insurance plan for next year, or change its current one? If so, now might be a good time to consider your options. These things take time. A popular benefits model for many small to midsize businesses is sponsoring a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) accompanied by employee Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Like any such strategy, however, this one has its pluses and minuses. Ground rules HSAs are participant-owned, tax-advantaged accounts that accumulate funds for eligible medical expenses. To own an HSA, participants must be enrolled in an HDHP, have no other health insurance...

How to evaluate and undertake a business transformation

Many industries have undergone monumental changes over the last decade or so. Broadly, there are two ways to adapt to the associated challenges: slowly or quickly. Although there’s much to be said about small, measured responses to economic change, some companies might want to undertake a more urgent, large-scale revision of their operations. This is called a “business transformation” and, under the right circumstances, it can be a prudent move. Defining the concept A business transformation is a strategically planned modification of how all or part of a company operates. In its broadest form, a transformation might change the very...