Coral Springs, Florida bookkeeping provider for small businesses: A bookkeeping service offers a three-tiered approach to developing and maintaining your company’s overall financial processes and management. The first prong is created by the accounting software specialist. He or she creates your accounting data file so that it’s tailored to the specific needs of you and your business. He or she will ensure that you have access to the software and reports you need.
Personal Expenses (Deductions). You will receive Form 5498 for IRA and health savings accounts contributions from vendors and Form 1098 for home mortgage interest deductions. But you’ll have to collect most of the information documenting allowable deductions, such as business expenses, from other financial documents, such as check registers, canceled checks, bank statements, and credit card statements. Download and print summaries of the prior year’s transactions for each credit card, and review each transaction to determine whether it may be deductible. I use a marker to highlight the transactions that may affect my filing for easy identification later. You can use a similar culling process for canceled checks.
Hold Off on Mutual Fund Purchases: People should be wary of buying mutual funds at this time of year if they will be held in a taxable account. You could get hit with a tax bill for year-end dividends even if you just purchased shares. “That’s how mutual funds work, but people don’t realize it,” says Joanna Powell, managing director in the Boston office of accounting firm CBIZ MHM. To avoid paying additional taxes, consult with a broker before making a purchase to find out when distributions are made.
Don’t make financial decisions based on potential tax breaks: The IRS offers a slew of tax credits and deductions that have the potential to reduce your tax liability. But if you’re spending money strictly for the tax break, you may end up losing money on the deal. For example, you can deduct charitable contributions you make throughout the year if you itemize your deductions and donate to qualified charitable organizations. But if you donate $1,000 solely to get a tax deduction, and don’t first ensure your contribution meets deduction requirements, you could be out $1,000 with no tax break to show for your donation. Discover extra info at North Lauderdale bookkeepers.
A wage garnishment is any legal or equitable procedure where some portion of a person’s earnings is withheld by an employer for the payment of a debt. This is typically initiated through a court order or government agency action (such as an IRS levy) that requires an employer to withhold a percentage of an employee’s compensation. When notified of an order to garnish wages, an employer is legally obligated to make the appropriate deductions from an employee’s salary and direct payments to a designated agency or creditor.
State tax you paid last spring: Did you owe taxes when you filed your 2018 state tax return in 2019? Then remember to include that amount with your state tax itemized deduction on your 2019 return, along with state income taxes withheld from your paychecks or paid via quarterly estimated payments. Beginning in 2018, the deduction for state and local taxes is limited to $10,000 per year. When you buy a house, you often get to deduct points paid to obtain your mortgage all at one time. When you refinance a mortgage, however, you have to deduct the points over the life of the loan. That means you can deduct 1/30th of the points a year if it’s a 30-year mortgage—that’s $33 a year for each $1,000 of points you paid. Doesn’t seem like much, but why throw it away? Also, in the year you pay off the loan—because you sell the house or refinance again—you get to deduct all the points not yet deducted, unless you refinance with the same lender.
We are located in Coral Springs, Florida. Our Accounting and Bookkeeping Company is comprised of accountants who provide bookkeeping, accounting, tax, and business management services to individuals, S corporations, and businesses of all sizes. We provide superior personal service and show you how specific tax laws and deductions will affect you and your company. Our goal is to help you understand the tax laws, provide you with tax and accounting resources, and maximize your tax savings by taking every legal tax deduction that you deserve. See even more details on Bookkeeping Help.