Author: Brian Perry

The IRS is opening the filing season for 2025 individual income tax returns on January 26. This is about the same time as when the agency began accepting and processing 2024 tax year returns last year, despite IRS staffing having been significantly reduced since then. Here are answers to some FAQs about filing. When is my 2025 return due? For most individual taxpayers, the deadline to file a 2025 return or an extension is April 15. Individuals living outside the United States and Puerto Rico or serving in the military outside those two locations have until June 15. When must 2025 W-2s and 1099s...

Did you know there’s a tax-advantaged way to save for the expenses of a person with a disability that’s similar to saving for college expenses with a Section 529 plan? Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts can help fund qualified disability expenses for an eligible beneficiary. The SECURE 2.0 Act, signed into law in 2022, made changes that will allow more people to be eligible for ABLE accounts beginning in 2026. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law July 4, 2025, has made certain enhancements to them permanent. The Benefits ABLE accounts can be created by eligible...

If you had significant medical expenses last year, you may be wondering what you can deduct on your 2025 income tax return. Income-based thresholds and other rules can make it hard to claim the medical expense deduction. At the same time, more types of expenses may be eligible than you might expect. Limits on the Deduction Medical expenses are deductible only if they weren’t reimbursable by insurance or paid via tax-advantaged accounts (such as Flexible Spending Accounts or Health Savings Accounts). In addition, they’re deductible only to the extent that, in aggregate, they exceed 7.5% of your...

Do you operate a business as a partnership, a limited liability company (LLC) treated as a partnership for tax purposes or an S corporation? In tax lingo, these are called “pass-through” entities because their taxable income items, tax deductions and tax credits are passed through to their owners and taken into account on the owners’ federal income tax returns. These entities generally don’t owe any federal income tax themselves. Here are some important things to know about tax filing for pass-through entities. March 16 Deadline Even though pass-through entities generally don’t owe federal income...

Many tax figures are annually adjusted for inflation and typically increase each year (or at least every few years). For 2026, some additional changes are going into effect under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law July 4, 2025. Here’s an overview of some important limits and other tax figures for 2026. Keep in mind that exceptions or additional rules or limits may apply. Standard Deduction Single and married filing separately: $16,100 Head of household: $24,150 Married couples filing jointly: $32,200 Additional standard deduction for those age 65 or older and/or blind: $2,050 ($1,650...

A new year brings many new tax-related figures for businesses. Here’s an overview of key figures for 2026. Be aware that exceptions or additional rules or limits may apply. Depreciation-Related Tax Breaks Bonus depreciation: 100% Section 179 expensing limit: $2.56 million Section 179 phaseout threshold: $4.09 million Qualified Retirement Plan Limits 401(k), 403(b) and 457 plan deferrals: $24,500 401(k), 403(b) and 457 plan catch-up contributions for those age 50 or older: $8,000 401(k), 403(b) and 457 plan additional catch-up contributions for those age 60, 61, 62 or 63: $3,250 SIMPLE deferrals:...

With 2025 in the rear view mirror and the tax filing deadline on the road ahead, it’s a good time for businesses to start gathering information about their deductible expenses for 2025. But what’s deductible (and what’s not) might not be as clear-cut as you think. Most business deductions aren’t specifically listed in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). The general rule is what’s stated in the first sentence of IRC Section 162, that you can write off “all the ordinary and necessary expenses paid or incurred during the taxable year in carrying on any trade or business.” In addition, you must be...

S corporation structure provides most of the tax benefits of a partnership plus the liability protection of a corporation. But because of the strict requirements that apply to these entities, preserving S corporation status requires due diligence. Reap the Benefits Like a traditional C corporation, an S corporation shields its shareholders from personal liability for the corporation’s debts. Like a partnership, an S corporation is a “pass-through” entity, which means that all of its profits and losses are passed through to the owners, who report their allocable shares on their personal income...

If your business has employees or uses independent contractors, you have associated annual information reporting obligations. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) makes changes impacting these rules, but not for the 2025 tax year. Tips and Overtime Income For 2025 through 2028, the OBBBA creates new deductions for employees who receive qualified tips income or qualified overtime income. Importantly, these breaks aren’t income exclusions. Therefore, federal payroll taxes and federal income tax withholding rules still apply to this income. Also, qualified tips and qualified overtime may still...

Beginning in 2026, individuals who itemize deductions and donate to charity will face a new limit on their charitable deductions. And in some cases, they’ll face two new limits. But there’s some good news for nonitemizing individuals who make charitable donations. New Charitable Deduction Floor Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), starting in 2026, if you itemize deductions, your otherwise allowable charitable deduction will be reduced by 0.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). Put another way, your 2026 charitable deduction will be limited to the amount that exceeds 0.5% of your...

If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) through your employer to help pay for health or dependent care expenses, now’s a good time to check your balance. FSAs save taxes, but they generally require you to incur expenses to use the funds by year end or forfeit them. Here’s a refresher on the rules and limits. FSAs for Health Care A maximum pretax contribution of $3,300 to a health care FSA is permitted in 2025. (This amount is annually adjusted for inflation and will increase to $3,400 in 2026.) You use the pretax dollars to pay for medical expenses not covered by insurance. An FSA allows...