|
|
2011 YEAR END TAX CONSIDERATIONS AND PLANNING
FOR YOUR BUSINESS
The Holidays are here and that brings us thoughts of sugarplums and year-end close for your business. Below are some items for you to consider.
PURCHASE OF BUSINESS EQUIPMENT:
Qualifying new property placed in service before December 31 can be written off under 100% bonus depreciation. The bonus rate is scheduled to fall to 50% in 2012.
Section 179 depreciation applies to new or used equipment that can also be written off 100% up to a $500,000 purchase cost. This phases out after $2,000,000 of total qualifying purchases. Section 179 expensing will still be available in 2012, but the limits will be much lower.
As in previous years there are special rules and limits for vehicle purchases, so contact us if you have questions regarding those.
The qualifying equipment can be purchased on credit and expensed in 2011 as long as it is placed in service before year end.
IMPROVEMENTS ON YOUR BUSINESS REAL PROPERTY:
There are a variety of energy–related incentives that are scheduled to expire at the end of 2011. If you have, or are still considering some energy efficient improvements to your commercial building such as lighting, heating, cooling, and hot water systems this could be beneficial. There are certain standards that must be met to qualify.
VEHICLE USE EXPENSE IN YOUR BUSINESS:
A mileage log is required to prove your business-mile percentage if you use the vehicle for personal use or for commuting to work. This is required whether you use the standard mileage rate or actual vehicle expense, (i.e. gas, repair, etc). A value for personal mileage on a business vehicle needs to be calculated and added to your W-2 as an “auto fringe”. Call us for details or to calculate the personal value.
OFFICER WAGES AND HEALTH INSURANCE:
S-Corporation owners MUST pay themselves a reasonable wage and issue a W-2 to themselves. A “reasonable wage” is often described as what you would have to pay someone else to do your job. If you have taken “draws” out of the company this year and no wages, call us to reclassify an amount to wages and calculate payroll taxes on the amount. These payroll taxes must be paid by January 15, 2012 to avoid interest and penalties.
As a business owner, your personal health insurance premiums paid through the business should be added to your W-2 and thus deducted in full on your personal return– if they are not added to your W-2, the deduction is not a business deduction and will be taken on Schedule A- Itemized Deductions subject to the 7.5% medical adjustment. Call us for more information on how to handle this for maximum tax benefit.
HEALTH CARE TAX CREDIT FOR EMPLOYEES
If you pay any portion of health insurance premiums for employees you may be eligible for a credit on your tax return. There are eligibility requirements and the credit is limited to those who have 25 or fewer employees with average income of $50,000 or less. If you think you may qualify for this credit, contact us for more information.
HIRE ACT
The HIRE ACT, passed in 2010, provided credit for employers for each new person hired between February 4, 2010 and December 31, 2010 who had been unemployed for 60 consecutive days prior to hiring. The payroll tax credit was given on payroll taxes paid in 2010, but an additional credit is allowed if this employee was employed by you for the following consecutive 52 weeks. The additional credit is allowed to be taken on the 2011income tax return if this requirement is met. If this applies to your company, be sure to let us know.
PAYROLL
As of January 1, 2012, Arizona minimum wage will increase to $7.65. This amount is higher than the Federal minimum; however, Arizona employers must follow the Arizona statute.
THINGS TO DO:
Start gathering your business receipts, update your mileage logs, and tally up your income and expenses for the year. Remember to note the business reason for any travel, meals, and entertainment expenses on your receipts. If this is an over-whelming task for you, call us for help. We do provide this service at an hourly fee.
If you have employees, make sure you have up-to-date information on them – W-4 and A-4’s for deductions, addresses, name change if married/divorced during the year, and verify you have the correct Social Security number before you issue the W-2’s. If you pay year-end bonuses, be sure to add the amount to the W-2 and calculate and pay the additional payroll tax.
If you paid service providers/subcontractors over $600 during the year, make sure you have current addresses and a business EIN # or Social Security number for them. You must issue a 1099-MISC form to them by January 31. This also includes anyone you paid rent to if the amount is $600 or above. If you need assistance in this area give us a call.
We hope that this year was a prosperous one for your business. Call us before year-end at 928-778-0079 if you need an updated estimate of tax liability and to discuss any tax planning considerations.
Remember the filing deadline for Corporations and S-Corporations is March 15 – personal and Partnership returns is April 15.
This tip brought to you by Schutte & Hilgendorf, CPA’s, a Prescott firm serving the greater Yavapai County, providing audit, accounting, bookkeeping, tax preparation and planning, Quickbooks accounting and setup to individuals and small businesses.
Contact us for a free initial consultation 928-778-0079
Schutte & Hilgendorf wishes you a Happy Holiday Season! Some things to consider as the 2011 TAX YEAR comes to an end:
FEDERAL – There are no major tax changes for this year – most of the “Bush tax breaks” were extended at the end of 2010 to run through 2012. However, there are a couple of items that may affect some of you that are expiring at the end of 2011 and will not be available in 2012:
The option to deduct state sales taxes in lieu of income taxes.
The opportunity for those age 70 1/2 and older to transfer up to $100,000 tax free from their IRAs to a public charity.
The non-business energy credit for qualified energy efficiency improvements and residential energy property expenditures. If you are considering window, furnace, or insulation replacement, 2011 is the last year to be able to obtain a tax credit for these items.
OTHER TAX RELATED ISSUES TO KEEP IN MIND BEFORE THE YEAR ENDS:
If you use a personal vehicle for business purposes you must have a mileage log to document the deductible business use.
If you have a business “home office” there are certain deductions you can use as business expenses. There are limitations and the space you use must be used exclusively for the purpose of the business office.
ARIZONA – Arizona still has three tax credits available for 2011:
• Public School credit – $400 Married; $200 Single
• Working Poor Credit – $400 Married; $200 Single
• School Tuition Foundations – $1,000 Married; $500 Single – this credit can be made up to April 15, 2012 for credit on the 2011 return.
For those of you who file a Schedule C business reporting and you have employees, the minimum wage has been raised to $7.65 beginning January 1, 2012.
If you have any questions regarding these items or other individual tax concerns, please contact us to do a quick review or clarification. We post current and updated information on our website www.prescottaccountants.com. We encourage you to check our site often.
As in prior years, we will be sending out your tax “Organizer” with your prior year tax information on it and in the upper right hand corner will be a pre-set appointment time (if you had an appointment last year). Please notify us with any scheduling conflicts.
Thanks for your time in reviewing this, have a Happy Holiday Season.
This tip brought to you by Schutte & Hilgendorf CPA’s, a Prescott firm serving the greater Yavapai County, providing audit, accounting, bookkeeping, tax preparation and planning, QuickBooks accounting and setup to individuals and small businesses.
Contact us for a free initial consultation 928-778-0079
The attached article was written by John E. McEnroe, Jr. and was such a great summary of steps that every Non-Profit should follow, we thought we’d give John credit here and share the article on our website. We found the article when searching for information on the little-mentioned topic of Non-Profit Arizona Registration with the Arizona Secretary of State.
We have observed that many of our non-profit charitable clients are not aware of the registration requirement with the AZ Secretary of State before accepting any charitable donations. Many Non-Profits feel that receiving the IRS determination letter for a 501(c)(3), incorporating through the AZ Corporate Commission, and registering with the AZ Department of Revenue satisfies all setup requirements. Apparently, not so. This doesn’t seem to be widely enforced by the Secretary. An annual renewal is also required every September. Although free, if filed late, there is a $25 fee.
Click on the link below for a copy of the very informative Non-Profit Registration and Reporting Requirements article:
NPO Registration and Reporting_2010
Click here for a link to the Registration Form for the AZ Secretary of State:
SOS Reg Form
Please call Schutte & Hilgendorf, CPAs with any questions related to this article or any non-profit related audit, accounting or tax question. Schutte & Hilgendorf is a Prescott CPA firm specializing in providing audit, tax and accounting services to non-profits, for-profits, and homeowners associations. We also provide tax planning and preparation, bookkeeping, and QuickBooks consulting to individuals and small businesses. We service the greater Yavapai County and Northern Arizona Region. Call us at 928-778-0079 with any of your accounting, auditing or tax needs. Check the rest of our website for constant updates at www. prescottaccountants.com
The Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) rate was reduced from 6.2% to 6.0% effective July 1, 2011. This makes all employers who are subject to Arizona unemployment insurance tax also subject to the .10% Arizona Job Training Tax (JTT) on taxable wages paid after June 30, 2011.
Consequently, the above-mentioned JTT exemptions for certain tax-rated employers expired on July 1, 2011, so those exemptions are no longer in effect with respect to taxable wages that are paid after June 30, 2011. Therefore, ALL tax-rated employers, regardless of their UI Tax rate and whether they are “new employers” or experience-rated, are subject to JTT on taxable wages they pay after June 30, 2011.
Employers who were exempt from JTT in the first and second quarters of 2011 continue to be exempt from JTT on taxable wages they paid in those quarters. In other words, for 2011: (1) if such an employer did not meet the $7,000 taxable wage base of an employee in the first or second quarter, the employer is subject to JTT only on taxable wages paid to that employee in the third and fourth quarter; (2) if the employer did meet the taxable wage base of an employee in the first or second quarter, the employer is not subject to JTT on wages paid to that employee in the third or fourth quarter. Reimbursement employers continue to be exempt from JTT after June 30, 2011.
From Arizona Department of Economic Security Change in FUTA Rate and Job Training Tax Exemptions
If you need more information about the article above, contact Schutte & Hilgendorf, CPAs serving all of Yavapai County with accounting, tax preparation and planning, auditing, bookkeeping, payroll, and QuickBooks consulting.
How does an employer know whether to make Arizona withholding payments on a quarterly basis or more frequently?
QUARTERLY BASIS PAYMENTS: An employer must make its Arizona withholding payments on a quarterly basis if the average amount of Arizona income taxes withheld during the preceding four calendar quarters does not exceed $1,500.
MORE FREQUENT PAYMENTS: An employer must make its Arizona withholding tax payments at the same time as its federal withholding deposits if the average amount of Arizona income taxes withheld during the preceding four calendar quarters exceeds $1,500.
WHY DOES THE EMPLOYER MAKE THIS COMPUTATION? Arizona law requires an employer, at the beginning of each new quarter, to compute its average Arizona withholding tax liability for the preceding four calendar quarters. This calculation is performed to determine the correct Arizona withholding payment schedule.
HOW DOES THE EMPLOYER MAKE THIS COMPUTATION? An employer that has four full consecutive calendar quarters of Arizona withholding liability historical data must use the regular withholding payment schedule computation. An employer that does not have four full consecutive calendar quarters of Arizona withholding liability historical data must use the alternate withholding payment schedule computation. Refer to the “Arizona Withholding Liability/Payment Schedule” section of the Form A1QRT instructions for further information
Per the State of Arizona – Department of Revenue – Arizona Withholding FAQ’s
Should you have questions regarding this post or any other tax needs, contact us at Schutte & Hilgendorf, PLLC, Prescott accountants serving the greater Yavapai County with tax, accounting, auditing, and QuickBooks consulting expertise.
Article provided by Paychex, July 12, 2011:
Because Arizona was one of the 30+ states that borrowed money from the feds after our unemployment coffers were depleted as a result of our most recent recession, all Arizona employers who are subject to State Unemployment Tax are subject to a Special Assessment beginning July 20th 2011.
Here are a few of the details:
All employers subject to Arizona UI Tax in 2011 and 2012 are also subject to the SA.
- Reimbursement employers are exempt from the SA.
- “Taxable wages” are the first $7,000 of gross wages paid to each employee in a calendar year.
- The SA rate is 0.40% of taxable wages paid in 2011 (maximum $28 per employee).*
- The SA rate is projected to be 0.60% of taxable wages paid in 2012 (maximum $42 per employee).*
- Payment of the SA for the first three quarters of 2011 is due by October 31, 2011, payable as follows:
- In mid to late September 2011, DES will mail employers statements of the SA amounts they owe, if any, for the first two quarters of 2011.
- Beginning with the third quarter of 2011, SA amounts due are payable with quarterly UI taxes and reported on Line 7, Part C of the Unemployment Tax and Wage Report (form UC-018).
- Employers may include the amount of SA due for the first two quarters of 2011 on their third quarter 2011 report and remit a single payment for all amounts due.
- Alternatively, employers may pay the SA for the first two quarters separately from a report, via the online Tax and Wage System (TWS) at www.azuitax.com or by check or money order.
Please see attached article (Special Assesment change with SUI) from DES for details, or visit the below website:
https://www.azdes.gov/main.aspx?menu=316&id=6767
Private School Tuition Credit
AZ Tax Credit-Qualifying School Tuition Organizations
Frequently Asked Questions (from the AZ DOR Website:
http://www.azdor.gov/ReportsResearch/SchoolTaxCredit.aspx )
What do I have to do to qualify for this credit?
To qualify for this credit, you must make cash or payroll
withholding contributions to a school tuition
organization that provides scholarships or grants to
qualified schools.
What is the maximum dollar amount of the credit?
The credit is limited to the actual amount of the
contribution. However, in 2011 the credit cannot exceed
$500 for single or head of household taxpayers. For
married taxpayers that file a joint return, the 2011 credit
cannot exceed $1,000. If married taxpayers file separate
returns, each spouse may claim only 1/2 of the credit that
would have been allowed on the joint return. Please Note:
Starting in 2011, the maximum credit amounts will be
annually adjusted (although never downward) in
accordance with changes in the metro Phoenix consumer
price index.
Must the private school tuition tax credit be claimed
in the year of donation?
No. Beginning in 2011, a contribution made by April 15
may be treated for purposes of this tax credit as if it was
made on December 31 of the prior year. For example, a
contribution made to a school tuition organization from
January 1, 2011 to April 15, 2011 could be used as a tax
credit on either your 1) 2010 or 2) 2011 Arizona income
tax return
What is a school tuition organization?
A school tuition organization is one that is tax exempt
under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code,
allocates at least 90 percent of its annual revenue to
scholarships or grants, and makes its scholarships/grants
available to students of more than one qualified school.
Will the Department of Revenue certify school
tuition organizations?
Yes. Beginning January 1, 2011, the Arizona
Department of Revenue is required to begin certifying
school tuition organizations. The Arizona Department
of Revenue will maintain a registry of currently
certified school tuition organizations on its website,
www.azdor.gov.
What is a qualified school?
A qualified school is a non-governmental preschool for
handicapped students, or a non-governmental primary
or secondary school located in Arizona. The school
cannot discriminate on the basis of race, color,
handicap, familial status, or national origin. The
primary school begins with kindergarten, and the
secondary school ends with grade 12.
Are there situations where a contribution to a school
tuition organization, as defined in statute, would not
qualify for the tax credit?
Yes. Your donation to the school tuition organization
will not qualify for the credit if you designate the
donation for the direct benefit of your dependent. Your
donation will also not qualify if you designate a student
beneficiary as a condition of your contribution to the
school tuition organization. Additionally, the tax credit
is not allowed if you agree with another person to
designate each other’s contribution to the school tuition
organization for the direct benefit of each other’s
dependent, a practice commonly known as swapping.
May I make credit eligible contributions through
payroll withholding?
Yes. You may now be able to make credit eligible
contributions to a school tuition organization through
payroll withholding. Check with your employer to see
if your employer has agreed to withhold contributions
that qualify for this credit from your pay.
The Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs will provide incentive payments to eligible professionals, eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) as they adopt, implement, upgrade or demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology. This program, part of the 2009 Economic Stimulus Act, is a $20 million program, with up to $44,000 available for eligible professionals.
From a tax perspective, this means that eliglible medical professionals receiving these incentives may be taxed on this extra income in the form of bonus Medicare and Medicaid payments.
With bonus and 179 depreciation programs in effect for 2011, you may be able to deduct the entire purchase of hardware and software necessary to implement these mandated programs, thus offsetting the increased taxable income provided by the incentive payments.
Eligible medical professional should act quick! Incentives are only available from 2011 – 2014 and will be phased out completely by 2015 with EHR being mandated!
For more information about the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, visit http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms.com
For more information on the tax implications of this incentive program and how to take advantage of tax saving opportunities, contact Schutte & Hilgendorf, CPAs, a prescott accounting firm providing tax planning, preparation, audit, accounting and QuickBooks consulting to the greater Yavapai County area. Phone: 928-778-0079 or website: www.prescottaccountants.com
| From the eTax Alert™ February 11, 2011, Western CPE |
|
|
IRS Changes Its Mind on Medicare Premiums as Self-Employed Health Insurance
With no notice, the IRS changed the wording in its 2010 Form 1040 Instructions. The instructions now say that Medicare B premiums can be used to figure the self-employed health insurance deduction. The 2009 instructions and Publication 535 said that they didn’t qualify.
Example: Mary is a 67-year-old, self-employed real estate broker. Because she’s a high income individual and is means tested for Medicare B, Mary pays $4,243 for her 2010 Medicare coverage. Mary also pays $1,200 for Medigap health insurance and $2,900 for long-term care insurance. If she’s otherwise qualified, Mary can claim a self-employed health insurance deduction of $8,343. For 2010 only, this amount also reduces her self-employment income for SE tax purposes.
© Vern Hoven & Sharon Kreider
If you have additional questions related to healthcare deductions or other tax preparation or tax planning questions, contact Schutte & Hilgendorf , CPAs, a prescott accounting firm providing audit, tax and accounting to Yavapai County and beyond.
Written and originally published by the Arizona Department of Revenue,
Changes to Arizona Withholding for Wages Paid After December 31, 2010.
The Department prescribed new withholding tables in early 2010 in accordance with Senate Bill 1185 (Laws 2009, 1st Reg. Session, Chapter 2). The new tables were effective for wages paid after June 30, 2010.
The new withholding tables are based on a percentage of gross taxable wages. “Gross taxable wages” is the amount that meets the federal definition of “wages” contained in IRC § 3401 and that will generally be included in box 1 of the employee’s federal Form W-2 at the end of the calendar year (i.e. gross wages net of pretax deductions, such as the employee’s portion of health insurance premiums).
Each employee subject to Arizona income tax withholding was required to complete a new Arizona Form A-4.
The Department has revised Arizona Form A-4 effective for wages paid after December 31, 2010.
The changes include:
■Providing an additional withholding percentage of 0.8%. Previously available percentages are unchanged.
■Removal of the $15,000 annual compensation threshold. All seven withholding percentage rates are available to all employees, regardless of annual compensation.
■Relaxing the exemption requirements. The employee only has to expect that there will be no Arizona tax liability in the current taxable year (instead of not having a liability in the prior year and not expecting one in the current year). However, this withholding exemption election will need to be renewed annually, similar to federal requirements.
Unlike the previous changes effective July 1, every employee is not required to complete a new Arizona Form A-4. Employees wanting to renew their withholding exemption are required file a new Form A-4 with their employer. Employees wanting to take advantage of the lower withholding percentage must file a new Form A-4 with their employer. Individuals with a current withholding percentage elected on Arizona Form A-4P or Arizona Form A-4V may also file a new form to take advantage of the new withholding percentage.
Withholding percentage options for wages paid after December 31, 2010.
Rates are a percentage of gross taxable wages.
Percentage Rates
0.8%
1.3%
1.8%
2.7%
3.6%
4.2%
5.1%
The 2011 Arizona Form A-4, Arizona Form A-4P, and Arizona Form A-4V are available on the
Department’s website at http://www.azdor.gov/Forms/Withholding.aspx
Arizona Withholding Tax Basics For Arizona purposes, an employer must withhold Arizona income tax from the payment of wages to an employee whose compensation is for services performed in Arizona.
Arizona income tax withholding is a percentage of the employee’s gross taxable wages.
“Gross taxable wages” is the amount that meets the federal definition of “wages” contained in IRC § 3401 and that will be included in box 1 of the employee’s federal Form W-2 at the end of the calendar year (i.e. gross wages net of pretax deductions, such as the employee’s portion of health insurance premiums). Employees may also have their employer withhold an additional amount.
The employee completes Arizona Form A-4, Employee’s Arizona Withholding Percentage Election, to elect an Arizona withholding percentage. Amounts that are considered wages for federal tax purposes are also considered wages for Arizona income tax and withholding purposes.
Amounts that are included in wages and are subject to mandatory federal withholding are subject to mandatory Arizona withholding. Amounts that are excluded from wages and are excluded from mandatory federal withholding are excluded from mandatory Arizona withholding.
An employer must withhold Arizona tax from wages paid for services performed within Arizona regardless of whether the employee is a resident or nonresident of Arizona. However, there are two exceptions to the general mandatory withholding requirements for nonresident employees temporarily performing services for their employer in Arizona. Although a nonresident employee may be exempt from Arizona income tax withholding, the employee may be required to file a nonresident Arizona income tax return if the employee meets the filing requirement.
An employer may not have to withhold Arizona tax from wages paid to a nonresident performing services in Arizona if:
■The employee is physically present in Arizona for less than 60 days in a calendar year for the purpose of performing a service that will benefit the employer; AND
■The employer is an individual, fiduciary, partnership, corporation or limited liability company having property, payroll and sales in Arizona, or of a related entity having more than 50% direct or indirect common ownership.
An explanation of this exemption (including examples) is included in the Employer’s Instructions for the Arizona Form A-4.
If you need more information about the article above, contact Schutte & Hilgendorf, CPAs serving all of Yavapai County with accounting, tax preparation and planning, auditing, bookkeeping, payroll, and QuickBooks consulting.
|
We Are The Piece That Fits.
Schutte & Hilgendorf PLLC
3140 Stillwater Drive
Prescott AZ 86305
Phone: 928.778.0079
Fax: 928-778-0261
|
