Agencies typically apply different taxes to various situations based on each individual agency’s rules, regulations and payment methods. Contrary to what people often say, what you don’t know actually can hurt you, so becoming more knowledgeable about tax issues that businesses often face is key.

3 Tax Issues That Can Affect Your Bottom Line

Here are three common tax issues that can ultimately affect your bottom line in the long run.

1. Underpaying taxes and keeping records poorly

The first common tax issue to be mindful of is accidentally underpaying your taxes as a result of incorrectly or negligently storing records. As a business owner, you will collect sales tax from your customers. Let’s say you fail to pay that sales tax to the state in which your business operates. As a result, you will inevitably end up underpaying your sales and use taxes, both of which you are obliged to pay.

Another example is a situation in which you operate a cash-based business and find yourself needing to prove your personal income. You may end up paying too little toward your income tax, thinking that your estimated quarterly tax is optional — but it is not.

In all actuality, paying quarterly taxes is mandatory, and you absolutely must pay your income taxes in full and on time. Otherwise, you will be subject to undesirable outcomes, such as costly penalties and high APR interest that will be applied toward your unpaid taxes.

Last but not least, failing to take care of your records and maintain accurate copies of them could result in many different problems when tax-filing season rolls around. This is particularly true if you end up being audited by the IRS.

Keep in mind that sometimes people underpay their taxes merely because taxes are very complicated and the complexity of it all can confuse taxpayers. While it can be rather costly to hire a professional to help you with your tax-related matters, the consequences of inaccurately paying your taxes can be even more expensive. Being proactive can help you in the long run.

2. Misclassifying your business or business-related matters

As a business owner, you already have a lot of responsibilities to handle, but the classification of your business is not a matter you should take lightly. Pay attention to even the smallest of details. For instance, look into whether a franchise tax exists in your state. If it does, you’ll need to determine which forms you have to fill out and how much tax you will owe based on your company’s business entity classification.

3. Incorrectly classifying your employees

When hiring people to work for your business, you will have to decide whether you’ll onboard workers as employees or contractors. Take your time with this decision, as misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor or vice versa will impact how much you’ll need to withhold in taxes.

Avoidance is Not the Answer

Some business owners avoid filing their taxes on time because they cannot afford the final tax balance they owe for the previous tax year. However, avoidance is not the answer, especially because failing to file your taxes can result in a number of negative consequences, ranging from sky-high interest rates and unwanted penalties to a 25% failure-to-file fee, which will be added on to your overall bill if at least five months have passed since the date your taxes were due.

Thankfully, many of these issues are preventable when you know what to look out for and how to manage your taxes come tax time. It never hurts to hire a professional who understands business taxes, as they can help you adhere to regulations in a timely fashion.

Maintain Accurate Records

Another way to make paying your business taxes a lot easier is to maintain accurate records throughout each tax year. Stay on top of the receipts associated with the deductions you plan to make, as deductions can sometimes yield additional proof that the money you spent was truly business related. Always save any tax files or workbooks that you used as you calculated your taxes as well.

Keep Good Records

Hold on to your tax records for four years at a minimum. Some people will even encourage you to maintain your records for no fewer than 12 years! Either way, make it a point to keep the records associated with the taxes you collected from customers in a distinctly separate account that is easy for you to access should you ever need to.

Stay Current on Changing Tax Laws

The best plan of action is to stay updated on current and ever-changing tax laws so you can be prepared to pay the amount you owe every year. And remember that not every company underestimates what it owes.

Rather, some businesses overpay their taxes, which typically results from their failing to claim all the tax deductions they are eligible for and take advantage of the credits available to them. Either way, sometimes the most common tax mistakes can have a significant impact on your company’s bottom line.

When you make it a point to always keep your business taxes in mind, you can turn the tax-planning process into a year-round activity. This can set you up for success; do not ignore all your tax-related matters until April. If you need additional assistance managing your business taxes, contact a professional today!

Need Help Dealing with Tax Issues in Henderson?

Becoming more knowledgeable about tax issues that businesses often face is key in preparing for tax filing each year. At Layton Layton & Tobler we help our clients do just that. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. We can also help you with payroll preparation and auditing.

Experts at Key Tax Issues Serving Henderson Area Businesses

Serving Las Vegas, Summerlin & Henderson

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Posted on May 15, 2023 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

Employers generally must withhold income tax from employees’ wages. To figure out how much tax to withhold, you need to use the employee’s Form W-4, the appropriate method and the appropriate withholding table described in Publication 15-T, Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods. You’ll deposit your withholdings based on your business and the amount you withhold. In this article we’ll discuss business owners’ responsibilities regarding employee taxes.

File returns four times a year, and at the end of the year, prepare and file Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, to report wages, tips and other compensation paid to employees. Each employee needs a completed copy. You will use Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, to transmit Form W-2 to the Social Security Administration.

Other key responsibilities

You must withhold Social Security and Medicare taxes from employees’ wages and make sure they submit the matching amounts. (Something else to budget for!) To figure out how much tax to withhold, use the employee’s Form W-4 and the methods described in Publication 15, Employer’s Tax Guide, and Publication 15-A, Employer’s Supplemental Tax Guide. Deposit the taxes you withhold. You can find the detailed requirements for depositing on the IRS.gov website.

The current tax rate for Social Security is 6.2% for you and 6.2% for the employee. For Medicare, the current rate is 1.45% for you and 1.45% for the employee, or 2.9% total. Also, an Additional Medicare Tax applies to an individual’s Medicare wages that exceed a threshold amount based on the taxpayer’s filing status. You’ll withhold an Additional Medicare Tax of 0.9% for single filers who make more than $200,000. For married couples filing jointly, the threshold is $250,000, but if filing separately, $125,000. You don’t have to match this additional portion.

The government generally adjusts the earnings subject to Social Security each year. For 2023, the maximum earnings were $160,200.

Employers report and pay taxes under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act. The FUTA tax rate is 6.0%. The tax applies to the first $7,000 you pay to each employee as wages during the year. The $7,000 is often referred to as the federal or FUTA wage base. Your state wage base may be different based on the respective state’s rules.

Key dates to remember

Mark your calendar with key dates. The IRS has an Employment Tax Due Dates page with information on what you need to do and when you need to do it. The matching share of the Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes are collected as the Federal Insurance Contributions Act taxes and your part is considered a business expense, not a liability. Because it’s a business expense, it can be written off at tax time.

Don’t forget the states

This is just the beginning of an employer’s responsibilities. You are likely subject to state withholding rules as well. It’s essential that employers be on top of the general rules and any annual rate changes. Understanding these tax issues is important, since you bear the responsibility of fulfilling your tax obligations relating to your employees. It’s important to send out payments on time to avoid penalties and late fees. Be sure to work closely with financial professionals to make sure you stay compliant.

Need Help Dealing with Employee Taxes in Las Vegas?

Approximately 2.5% of all U.S. small-business owners are audited by the IRS. To adequately prepare for the possibility of being audited someday, keep meticulous records of all tax-related transactions and work with a professional who has experience handling IRS audits when they arise. At Layton Layton & Tobler we help our clients do just that. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. We can also help you with payroll preparation and auditing.

Experts at Employee Taxes Serving Las Vegas Area Businesses

Serving Las Vegas, Summerlin & Henderson

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Posted on April 12, 2023 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

Are you worried about the likelihood of your business being audited by the IRS? If so, there are a lot of preventive red flags that you can keep an eye out for when looking to protect your business from being the focus of an audit.

Inaccurately reporting your annual income

Every year, you will submit a Schedule C form, which denotes the income you report for the prior tax year. If you have incorrectly reported the amount of money that you earned in a given year, the likelihood of your being audited by the IRS will increase as a direct result of your inaccurate claim. As such, it is imperative that you report your income accurately — down to the penny. Refrain from rounding, omitting a portion of your income or stating that you either earned more or less than you truly accrued in the tax year in question.

Making deductions that are disproportionate to your reported income 

As a business owner, you will likely be able to benefit from itemized deductions and common tax deductions that are common amongst business owners of all business sizes, such as the home office deduction or deductions pertaining to the use of vehicles for business-related purposes. However, if you try to claim a lot of business deductions, the IRS may find it suspicious and audit you as a result of the red flags raised. In order to claim an expense as a business deduction, it must be both ordinary and necessary, meaning your expenses are related and applicable to your business operations.

• Claiming that you had a large number of expenses: If you spend a lot of money or you drastically alter your expenses year over year, this behavior may prompt an audit from the IRS. For example, business expenses that are deemed excessive or unreasonable would be if you were to claim that all your meals during your workdays are business expenses.
• Denoting a high amount of cash transactions: There are many business types that rely on cash, as well as profits, as a primary source of revenue. However, as a result of this and due to the nature of cash in that it is not documented the same way digital transactions are, the IRS may believe that you underreported income simply because it is easy to do so when cash is such a common form of payment for your business. You will need to be able to verify your income, so even if you handle cash often as part of your business transactions, do your part to prevent an audit by always documenting your transactions, both physically in the form of cash and digitally in the form of checks or credit cards.
• Claiming business losses from the past in the present: If you claim the same business loss every time you file a tax return from one year to the next, the IRS is more likely to audit you because this will be viewed as suspicious behavior. While it is not uncommon for losses to occur, especially in the context of a small business, reporting either the same loss every single year or claiming multiple years’ worth of losses can cause the IRS to question the legitimacy of your business as well as you as a business owner. As always, make sure you have proper documentation that depicts your revenue and expenses throughout the year.
• Falsely classifying your employees: Be especially mindful of how you classify your employees, and make sure you do not falsely report them as being independent contractors. In the eyes of the IRS, an independent contractor is someone who controls what they will do in terms of work, how it will be done and how much money they are willing to do said work for. Independent contractors vary greatly from employees, and as such, you cannot decide to reclassify someone who is an employee as an independent contractor for tax purposes. Always maintain important documentation regarding the work that your independent contractors do for your business and keep that information separate from the documentation pertaining to your employees.

Returns are often selected for audits as a result of errors that the IRS has pinpointed within them. Most tax audits will take place within a year after the tax return was filed, and typically, audits take less than a year to complete. However, you can certainly take measures to shorten the timeline of an audit, starting with the prioritization of preparing your documentation and responding promptly to questions or requests from the IRS.

What to do in the event of an audit 

If you are notified that the IRS plans to audit you in the near future, here is what you can expect moving forward:

• Known as a field audit, most IRS agents will carry out business-related tax audits in person.
• In most cases, business audits will be comprehensive, meaning they will cover issues relating to employment taxes and income taxes. A field audit takes an extensive look into documented records pertaining to your business as well as your accounting system. The IRS will conduct an array of tests that are designed to determine the accuracy of your reported income. When you are prepared for the interview that coincides with the audit, the process will unfold far more easily and quickly than if you go into the audit completely unprepared.
• While you are being audited, the IRS agents will ask you to provide information and documentation that explains your position as denoted in your business tax return. You can incorporate the insights of a licensed tax professional to assist you in relaying facts and figures to the IRS as you work with the agents. A tax professional can serve as an advocate for you over the course of the audit process.
• Ultimately, the IRS will decide when it is time to finalize the audit and close the case pertaining to your business. Whether the IRS agents state that no changes must be made or the agents request that you make applicable adjustments to your business return, you will usually have a 30-day period during which you can appeal the IRS’s requests in the event that you disagree with the outcome of the audit.

Want to Be Sure You’re Prepared for an Audit in Las Vegas?

Approximately 2.5% of all U.S. small-business owners are audited by the IRS. To adequately prepare for the possibility of being audited someday, keep meticulous records of all tax-related transactions and work with a professional who has experience handling IRS audits when they arise. At Layton Layton & Tobler we help our clients do just that. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. We can also help you with payroll preparation and auditing.

Helping You Keep Your Business Affairs in Order in Las Vegas

Serving Las Vegas, Summerlin & Henderson

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Posted on March 10, 2023 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

What’s important to you as you prepare to file? Your situation can make a big difference in the tax you pay and the paperwork you have to file. The IRS is trying to get you off to a good start this filing season by listing some of the issues the Agency believes are important to a wide range of filers. Here’s what you need to know as you get ready for taxes.

Reporting rules changed for Form 1099-K

Taxpayers should receive Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions, by the end of January, if they received third party payments in tax year 2022 for goods and services that exceeded $600. There’s no change to the taxability of income. All income, including from part-time work, side jobs or the sale of goods is still taxable. Taxpayers must report all income on their tax return unless it’s excluded by law.

Note that before 2022, Form 1099-K was issued for third party network transactions only if the total number of transactions exceeded 200 for the year and the aggregate amount of these transactions exceeded $20,000. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 lowered the reporting threshold for third party networks that process payments for those doing business.

Now a single transaction exceeding $600 can require the third party platform to issue a 1099-K. Money received through third party payment networks from friends and relatives as personal gifts or reimbursements for personal expenses is not taxable.

Some tax credits return to 2019 levels

This means that affected taxpayers will likely receive a significantly smaller refund compared with the previous tax year. Changes include amounts for the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit and Child and Dependent Care Credit.

• Those who got $3,600 per dependent in 2021 for the CTC will, if eligible, get $2,000 for the 2022 tax year.
• For the EITC, eligible taxpayers with no children who received roughly $1,500 in 2021 will now get $500 in 2022.
• The Child and Dependent Care Credit returns to a maximum of $2,100 in 2022 instead of $8,000 in 2021.

No above-the-line charitable deductions

During COVID, taxpayers could take up to a $600 charitable donation tax deduction on their tax returns. However, in 2022, those who take a standard deduction may not take an above-the-line deduction for charitable donations.

Increased eligibility for the premium tax credit

For tax year 2022, taxpayers may still qualify for temporarily expanded eligibility for the premium tax credit. As explained by the IRS, the premium tax credit – also known as PTC – is a refundable credit that helps eligible individuals and families cover the premiums for their health insurance purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace. To get this credit, you must meet certain requirements and file a tax return with Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit.

Not Sure Whether You’re Ready for Taxes in Summerlin?

These are just a few of the changes. Work with your tax professional to make sure you’re taking advantage of all the provisions applicable to you. Here at Layton Layton & Tobler we help our clients do just that. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. We can also help you with payroll preparation and auditing.

Helping You Get Ready for Taxes in Summerlin

Serving Las Vegas, Summerlin & Henderson

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Posted on February 9, 2023 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

Is your hobby a business? It matters to the IRS. The agency says your hobby is a business if it operates to make a profit. But it’s not a simple determination. To start with, intent matters.

Factors The IRS Uses to Ascertain Whether Your Hobby is a Business

• You carry out your activity in a businesslike manner and maintain complete and accurate books and records.
• The time and effort you put into the activity shows you intend to make it profitable.
• You depend on income from your activity for your livelihood.
• Your losses are indicative of a business. This is complicated: Losses are normal in a business’s startup phase. Still, this may not necessarily indicate that the activity is not engaged in for profit. If the losses continue beyond a period in which it’s customary to bring an operation to profit, then this may indicate the activity is not being engaged in for profit.
• You change methods of operation to improve profitability.
• You and your advisers have the knowledge needed to carry out the activity as a successful business.
• You were successful in making a profit in similar activities in the past.
• You can expect to make a future profit from the appreciation of assets used in the activity. The IRS will take into consideration whether you make a profit in some years and, if so, how much.

When are Deductions Allowable?

If the activity you’re engaged in turns a profit, deductions are allowable for money spent for the production or collection of income or for the management, conservation or maintenance of property that brings you income. Deductions aren’t allowable if your activities aren’t turning a profit, including sports or things you do for recreation.

The IRS Considers Intent

The IRS uses no one factor to make the determination. A lot of the decision hinges on intent to derive profit. But here, too, it’s fuzzy because greater weight is given to objective facts than to your statement of intent, according to the IRS. Here are some scenarios to consider:

• If you attempt to develop new or superior techniques that may result in profit, then we’re talking business.
• How much time you devote to the activity that doesn’t have substantial personal or recreational aspects may indicate your intention to make a profit.
• If you stopped your usual occupation and devote most of your time and energy to another activity, it looks like a business to the IRS.
• If you are employing qualified people to help, even though you are not spending significant time yourself — that looks like a business.
• Assets used in your activity appreciate — even the land used in the activity. Though you point out that there’s no intent to make a profit, if the value of land used increases, exceeding your expenses of operation, then you’ve made a profit.
• Suppose in the past you’ve done a similar activity and took it from an unprofitable to a profitable undertaking. This may indicate that your present activity is for profit, even though it’s presently unprofitable.
• The amount of profit in relation to losses incurred in relation to your investment is important. An occasional small profit coming from an activity that generates large losses or from an activity you’ve made a large investment in wouldn’t generally be an indication that you’re engaged in your activity for profit. However, substantial profit, even occasionally, makes it look like you’re in it for profit. If you don’t seem to have substantial income or capital aside from your activity, that looks like you’re expecting a profit from your so-called hobby.
• If the losses from your activity generate substantial tax benefits, it may show that you’re not so much interested in profit as in using losses on your tax return.

While intent is important in determining whether you’re running a business or enjoying a hobby, the IRS looks at the income derived from the activity. Your lack of a profit objective may seem to indicate you’re engaged in a hobby, but as you can see, many factors are considered in making this determination. The important takeaway here is to work closely with a tax professional.

Not Sure Whether You Have a Hobby or Business?

If you’re not sure about your situation, consult with a qualified tax professional. Here at Layton Layton & Tobler we can help you decide. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. We can also help you with payroll preparation and auditing.

Helping You Figure Out Whether You Can Claim What You Do as a Business in Las Vegas

Serving Las Vegas, Summerlin & Henderson

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Posted on January 12, 2023 | Published by Ignite Local | Related Local Business

Tax law is never simple. But you can prepare for your April 15 reckoning by reviewing the past year and seeing what’s coming. And the first thing to know is that April 15 is actually not April 15 in 2023. Because of the weekend and a holiday, you have until April 18 in 2023. Still, the IRS and tax professionals urge early filing.

Here are some other key items.

Social Security

According to the Social Security Administration, approximately 70 million Americans will see an 8.7% increase in their Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income payments in 2023. On average, according to the SSA, Social Security benefits will increase by more than $140 per month starting in January. The SSA will send notices throughout the month of December to retirement, survivors and disability beneficiaries; SSI recipients; and representative payees. Those who want to find out their new benefit sooner can do so through their personal SSA account. If you don’t have one already, you can sign up online.

401(k) and IRA Limits Rise for 2023

The IRS has announced that the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2023 has increased to $22,500, up from $20,500 for 2022. This also applies to 403(b) plans, most 457 plans and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan. Also increasing is the catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over who participate in the above plans. This limit has increased to $7,500, up from $6,500. Therefore, participants in 401(k), 403(b), and most 457 plans or the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan who are 50 and older can contribute up to $30,000 starting in 2023. The amount individuals can contribute to their SIMPLE retirement accounts is increased to $15,500, up from $14,000. The catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over who participate in SIMPLE plans is increased to $3,500, up from $3,000.

IRAs are also going up. The limit on annual contributions to an IRA increased to $6,500, up from $6,000. The IRA catch‑up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over is not subject to an annual cost‑of‑living adjustment and remains $1,000.

HSA Limits

The HSA contribution limit for self-only for 2023 is up slightly to $3,850; for family, it is also up slightly to $7,750. The catch-up contribution for age 55 and older remains at $1,000.

Tax Year 2023 Annual Inflation Adjustments

The standard deduction for married couples filing jointly for tax year 2023 rises to $27,700, which is up $1,800 from the previous year. For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately, the standard deduction rises to $13,850 for 2023, up $900, and for heads of household, the standard deduction will be $20,800 for tax year 2023, up $1,400 from the amount for tax year 2022. For tax year 2023, the top tax rate remains 37% for individual single taxpayers with incomes greater than $578,125 ($693,750 for married couples filing jointly). Other rates have also changed; work with a tax professional to see where you are so you can make any necessary withholding adjustments.

The Affordable Care Act

The IRS is reminding both individuals and businesses that this is very much in force and there have been recent adjustments. In mid-2022, the IRS announced annual adjustments to the ACA. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, the “2023 health plan affordability threshold — used to determine if an employer’s lowest-premium health plan meets the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) affordability requirement — will be 9.12 percent of an employee’s ‘household income,’ down from the 2022 limit of 9.61 percent.”

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

This, too, is very much in force. The IRS has helpfully updated guidance with a useful list. New businesses especially that may not be familiar with the act’s details should consult it.

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

This contains a powerful set of provisions. It imposes a 15% minimum tax on corporations with over $1 billion in revenue and a 1% excise tax on corporate share buybacks. This may level the playing field for small businesses. The act also provides an Affordable Care Act subsidy extension through 2025, permission for Medicare to negotiate drug prices, a cap on Medicare recipients’ drug expenditures at $2,000 per year, and an electric vehicle tax break for individual and commercial vehicles.

Mileage Change

Driving for business? The IRS increased the optional standard mileage rates for the final six months of 2022. Taxpayers may use the optional standard mileage rates to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business and certain other purposes. Check your driving logs for dates to take advantage of the full amount.

Whether you’re an employee, self-employed or a business owner, work with your tax adviser to keep on top of your due dates and responsibilities. For now, gradually gather the information you will need at tax time. Forbes and Nerdwallet have both provided helpful lists. (Laws may change every year, but the list of what the IRS needs, based on your sitaution, stays pretty much the same.)

In late September, the IRS sent out some new details on student loan relief, which was announced earlier this year. It has also provided links for further information. Meanwhile opponents of loan relief are taking legal action to try to prevent it, although the administration continues to proceed.

Who’s eligible for Student Loan Relief

You are eligible if you have most federal loans (including Direct Loans and other loans held by the U.S. Department of Education) and your income for 2020 or 2021 is either:

Less than $125,000 for individuals

• Less than $250,000 for households

If you’re a dependent student, your eligibility is based on your parental income.

What you might be eligible for

• Up to $20,000 in debt relief if you received a Pell Grant in college
• Up to $10,000 in debt relief if you didn’t receive a Pell Grant

How it’ll work

• In October, the U.S. Department of Education will launch a short online application for student debt relief. You won’t need to upload any supporting documents or use your FSA ID to submit your application.
• Once you submit your application, the government will review it, determine your eligibility for debt relief, and work with your loan servicer(s) to process your relief. It will contact you if it needs any additional information from you.

What’s next

• Right now, you don’t need to do anything! The government will contact you when the sign-up period for student debt relief opens.
• The government will issue regular updates with more details over the coming days, as it nears the application period, which will begin in October 2022 and last through December 2023.
• In the meantime, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page to find out more information on the student debt relief program.

Beware of Scams

You might be contacted by a company saying they will help you get loan discharge, forgiveness, cancellation, or debt relief for a fee. You never have to pay for help with your federal student aid. Make sure you work only with the U.S. Department of Education and its loan servicers, and never reveal your personal information or account password to anyone.

Here at Layton Layton & Tobler we can help you with IRS Student Loan Relief. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. We can also help you with payroll preparation and auditing.

 

Let’s consider a married couple, whom we’ll refer to as John and Blanche. Both suffer from serious health problems, and they expect to incur sizable medical expenses this year and next. So says Julian Block, an attorney and former IRS special agent.

The couple’s main question is whether there’s anything they can do to take maximum advantage of their deductions for medical care. And the answer is yes! However, the specifics will depend on how much John and Blanche expect to declare as adjusted gross income on their Form 1040 and when they plan to send payments for medical care, among other details.

Know The Floor

Now, the law doesn’t allow them to deduct their entire payments for medical care, just the portion of payments that exceeds 7.5% of their AGI. In other words, they cannot claim any deductions for payments in any single year that fail to top that threshold, which is why John and Blanche should either accelerate their payments or postpone them, opting to claim all the deductions in the same year.

John and Blanche should be especially mindful of those guidelines when their payments for the current year are close to, or have already surpassed, the hurdle of 7.5% and they anticipate that they’ll incur charges during the following year. Since they’re able to schedule many services at their convenience, the possibilities include routine dental cleanings, physical checkups and eye examinations, as well as purchasing extra pairs of eyeglasses or contact lenses.

All said, there’s a straightforward and perfectly legal way for John and Blanche to avoid the possible loss of a 2023 deduction for those payments as well as to boost their 2022 deduction. They could have the services performed and then pay for them by Dec. 31, which is a strategy that’s even more advantageous when the couple anticipates an increase in AGI for 2023. Therefore, they will have a higher threshold than 7.5% as a result.

Now, suppose John and Blanche anticipate an AGI of $160,000 for 2022 and 2023, while also planning to use Form 1040’s Schedule A. This can be used to itemize their customary write-offs for outlays such as medical expenditures, contributions, interest payments on their home mortgage and taxes, including state, local income and property taxes.

The couple’s medical payments will amount to $12,000 for 2022. The same is true for 2023. Next year’s payments will include a check for $4,000 that they’ll send in January to take care of a bill for extensive dental work that they will have received before 2022 ends.

They consequently forfeit any write-offs for both years. The downside? Payments in both years fail to top $12,000, which is 7.5% of $160,000.

A Happier Scenario

The tax-savvy couple date the check no later than Dec. 31 and then drop it in a mailbox with enough time for the envelope to be postmarked by midnight on Dec. 31. That bit of forethought, which has the blessing of the IRS, will convert a nondeductible payment for 2023 into a $4,000 deduction for 2022. The IRS couldn’t care less that their dentist receives the check after 2022 closes.

Protect Yourself From IRS Audits

Suppose the agency’s computers bounce their return. Odds are that an examiner is going to look closely at large year-end checks dated Dec. 31 and made out to, say, charities, doctors and state tax collectors.

Send such checks by certified mail and request certified mail receipts. Staple the receipts to the canceled checks. The receipts will back up your 2022 deductions for payments made with checks that may not clear the bank until well beyond the close of the year.

Credit cards

There’s also room to maneuver when the couple uses credit cards to pay for their deductibles. Credit card payments qualify for 2022 deductions as soon as they authorize charges, even if the credit card companies don’t bill them until 2023. Here at Layton Layton & Tobler we can help you navigate. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. We can also help you with payroll preparation and auditing.