Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | TaxConnections

21 May 2018

Tax Cuts And Jobs Acts: Impact On Businesses

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a $1.5 trillion tax cut package, was signed into law on December 22, 2017. The centerpiece of the legislation is a permanent reduction of the corporate income tax rate. The corporate rate change and some of the other major provisions that affect businesses and business income are summarized below. Provisions take effect in tax year 2018 unless otherwise stated.

Corporate Tax Rates

Instead of the previous graduated corporate tax structure with four rate brackets (15%, 25%, 34%, and 35%), the new legislation establishes a single flat corporate rate of 21%.
The Act reduces the dividends-received deduction (corporations are allowed a deduction for dividends received from other domestic corporations) from 70% to 50%. If the corporation owns 20% or more of the company paying the dividend, the percentage is now 65%, down from 80%.
The Act permanently repeals the corporate alternative minimum tax (AMT).

15 May 2018

How Real Estate Can Reduce Your Tax Obligation

To maximize the tax benefits of property ownership, homeowners, investors and real estate professionals alike need to be aware of the breaks available to them as well as the rules and limits that apply. Whether you’re selling your principal residence, renting out a vacation property or maintaining a home office, tax savings are available if you plan carefully. However, in some cases, tax savings may be reduced under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).

Home-Related Tax Breaks

There are many tax benefits to home ownership — among them, various deductions. But when you file your 2017 tax return, the itemized deduction reduction could reduce your tax benefit from some of these breaks. And while that limit goes away for 2018, the TCJA reduces or eliminates these breaks:

Written by William Rogers | Posted in Real Estate • Tax Cuts & Jobs Act

13 Feb 2018

Tax Cuts And Jobs Act (TCJA): Changes For American Expatriates

Many American citizens who live outside the US have for years raised concerns about the United States’ Citizen-Based-Taxation System. They may have been hopeful when tax reform was being proposed but have been disappointed that their concerns have been ignored. The new tax reform bill Tax Cuts and Jobs Act called TCJA (pronounced tick-jah) has brought about massive changes in the way individuals are going to be taxed but not much has changed for American Expatriates.

Written by Manasa Nadig | Posted in Expatriate Taxes • Tax Cuts Jobs Act

23 Jan 2018

New Law Includes A Mixed Bag Of Benefits And Limits To Tax Breaks For Businesses

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which was signed into law on December 22, will broadly impact businesses of all sizes.

The bill significantly reduces the income tax rate for corporations and eliminates the corporate alternative minimum tax (AMT). It also provides a large new tax deduction for most owners of pass-through entities and significantly increases individual AMT and estate tax exemptions. And it makes major changes related to the taxation of foreign income.

You may even be able to utilize some enhancements on your 2017 tax return. Read More

Written by Steven Schechter | Posted in 2018 Tax Law • Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

22 Jan 2018

Planning For The New Business Interest Expense Deduction Limitation

As part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) signed into law on December 22, 2017, some important changes have been made with respect to the deductibility of business interest expense for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. Under prior law, business interest expense was generally deductible in the year in which the interest was paid or accrued, except that corporations were subject to certain limitations under IRC Section 163(j) (“the earnings stripping rules”). TCJA created a new limitation, which replaces the “earnings stripping rules” and applies to all businesses, regardless of form, on the deductibility of net business interest expense that exceeds 30% of a taxpayer’s “adjusted taxable income.” Read More

Written by Ron Wainwright | Posted in Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

16 Jan 2018

The Stealthy Increase In The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Of 2017

Ever since the Reagan Administrative, tax brackets have been indexed for inflation. This avoids bracket creep when taxpayers move into a higher tax bracket because inflation pushes up their income. The thinking is that inflation increases are not real increases in earnings, so the rate tables should be indexed to avoid tax increases arising solely from inflation. This seems like less of an issue today with relatively tame inflation rates, but remember that inflation went into the teens in some years in the 1970’s making bracket creep a big issue. Read More

Written by Charles Rubin | Posted in Tax Cuts and Jobs Act • TaxConnections

15 Jan 2018

The Tax Cuts Jobs Act Temporarily Expands Bonus Depreciation

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enhances some tax breaks for businesses while reducing or eliminating others. One break it enhances — temporarily — is bonus depreciation. While most TCJA provisions go into effect for the 2018 tax year, you might be able to benefit from the bonus depreciation enhancements when you file your 2017 tax return. Pre-TCJA bonus depreciation Under pre-TCJA law, for qualified new assets that your business placed in service in 2017, you can claim a 50% first-year bonus depreciation deduction. Used assets don’t qualify. This tax break is available for the cost of new computer systems, purchased software, vehicles, machinery, equipment, office furniture, etc. Read More

Written by Yelena Sandler | Posted in Tax Cuts and Jobs Act • TaxConnections

12 Jan 2018

2018 Pocket Tax Guide Online Edition

It has been a busy time for tax-related news and upcoming changes. We have compiled many of the tax changes, deductions and tax rates for easy reference year round. It is more important than ever to plan ahead and review your options to maximize your financial results. Also please visit our side-by-side comparison of 2017 tax law and and the recently enacted “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CHANGES AFFECTING 2018

Congress in December of 2017 passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that made sweeping changes to the tax laws. The issues impacting individuals and small businesses are included throughout this pocket tax guide. The following are changes not covered elsewhere in the guide. Read More

Written by Aaron Giles | Posted in 2018 Tax Law • Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

11 Jan 2018

Be Prepared: Filing Season Begins Jan. 29

Filing season will begin on Monday, Jan. 29, the Internal Revenue Service announced.

The final tax deadline will be Tuesday, April 17. (April 16 is Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in Washington, D.C.). The IRS expects nearly 155 million individual returns to be filed in 2018.

In 2017, the IRS began accepting returns on January 23; it set the date at January 29 this year to make sure that its key processing systems are ready, and to give it time to determine how late December’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will impact tax returns. Read More

Written by Tyler Hamelwright | Posted in Tax Filing

02 Jan 2018

Take Advantage Of Higher Tax Rates—Before It’s Too Late

On December 2, 2017, the Senate passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a sweeping tax reform bill that seeks to reduce tax rates for corporations and individuals following a strategy outlined in our previous Alert. A similar tax bill was passed by the House of Representatives on November 16, 2017. The White House and Congressional leadership plan to have a unified tax reform bill ready for the president to sign into law before the Christmas holiday. Read More

Written by Steven Schechter | Posted in 2017 Tax Bill • Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

26 Dec 2017

Year-End Moves In Light Of Tax Cuts & Jobs Act

With the new Tax Cut & Jobs Act Congress is enacting the biggest tax reform law in thirty years, one that will make fundamental changes in the way you, your family and your business calculate your federal income tax bill, and the amount of federal tax you will pay. Since most of the changes will go into effect next year, there’s still a narrow window of time before year-end to soften or avoid the impact of crackdowns and to best position yourself for the tax breaks that may be heading your way. Read More

Written by John Dundon | Posted in Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

17 Nov 2017

The Impact Of New Tax Law on Mileage Deduction

The tax reform bill, officially called “The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” H.R. 1, was released on Nov. 2, 2017. The bill contains many provisions affecting both individuals and businesses. If you use your automobile or other vehicle for work or business purposes, read on to learn about how it could have an impact on your mileage deduction.