It is common practice for charities to hold auction events where attendees will bid upon and purchase items. The questions often arise whether (1) the money spent on the items purchased constitutes a charitable donation and (2) what kind of charitable deduction the individual who contributed the item is entitled to. The answer to the […]
Deductions
Charitable Contributions Deduction Liberalized for 2021
As a means to stimulate charitable contributions during the COVID crisis, Congress made two notable changes for 2020—one allowing taxpayers that don’t itemize their deductions an above-the-line deduction for cash contributions of up to $300 and another for those itemizing their deductions to increase the maximum deduction for cash contributions to 100% of their adjusted […]
Employee Holiday Gifts May Be Taxable
It is common practice this time of year for employers to give their employees gifts. Where a gift is infrequently offered and has a fair market value so low that it is impractical and unreasonable to account for it, the gift’s value would be treated as a de minimis fringe benefit. As such, it would […]
There is More to Deducting Health Insurance than Meets the Eye
Health insurance premiums, especially in the wake of the Affordable Care Act, have risen dramatically and are one of the greatest expenses that most individuals pay. Although the cost of health insurance is allowed as part of an individual’s medical deductions when itemizing deductions, only the amount of total medical expenses that exceeds 7.5% of […]
IRS Guidance: PPP Loan Expenses Not Tax-Deductible
Are PPP Loan Expenses Tax-Deductable? The IRS is giving guidance on the Payroll Protection Program loan expenses and the deduction treatment in question. On April 30th, the IRS released guidance announcing that expenses relating to Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans will not be tax-deductible. Cares Act and Payroll Protection Program Loan Expenses The Paycheck Protection […]
Business and Personal Travel Rules, What Qualifies According to the IRS
When a self-employed individual makes a company trip outside of the United States and the trip is 100% for the purpose of your profession, all of the ordinary and necessary company travel expenses are deductible. However, there are rules the IRS has as to what qualifies as ordinary or necessary travel expenses for company and personal travel.