Do You Need a Mid-Year Tax Checkup?

If you are inclined to procrastinate until the end of the year or, even worse, until tax-filing season to worry about your taxes, you may be missing out on opportunities to reduce your tax and avoid certain penalties. The following are some events that can affect your tax return; you may need to take steps to mitigate their impact and avoid unpleasant surprises after it is too late to address them.
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Short-Term Rental, Special Treatment

If you are one of the many taxpayers who rents out a first or second home using rental agents or online rental services (such as Airbnb, VRBO and HomeAway) that match property owners with prospective renters, then some special tax rules may apply to you.
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Tax Breaks for Hiring Your Children in Your Family Business

With school vacation time just around the corner and employees heading out for summer vacations, you might consider hiring your children to help out in your business. Financially, it makes more sense to keep the family employed rather than hiring strangers, provided, of course, that the family member is suitable for the job.
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School’s Out - Who Is Going to Take Care of the Kids

Summer has just arrived, and there is a tax break that working parents should know about. Many working parents must arrange for care of their children under 13 years of age (or any age if handicapped) during the school vacation period. A popular solution — with a tax benefit — is a day camp program. The cost of day camp can count as an expense toward the child and dependent care credit. But be careful; expenses for overnight camps do not qualify.
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Solar Tax Credits – Before You Take the Leap

When you see those TV ads for home solar power, you may get the impression that Uncle Sam is going to pick up 30% of your cost and you only have to come up with the other 70%. That is not necessarily the whole picture. True, the federal government has a 30% tax credit for the cost of a qualified solar installation (some states also have solar credits or other incentives). However, the federal credit is non-refundable and can only be used to offset your current tax liability, and any excess carries over to future years as long as the credit still applies in future years. Currently, the credit is allowed through 2021. What this means: You may not get all the credit in the first year as you might have been led to believe or assumed based upon the TV ads.
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Tax Court Ruled Employer’s Independent Contractor Interpretation Reasonable

One of the most challenging issues facing employers is whether a worker should be classified as an employee or an independent contractor. A case recently concluded in federal district court illustrates this point. An employer, Nelly Home Care, Inc., had classified a group of 35 workers as independent contractors and was charged by the IRS with owing substantial employment taxes. The agency pursues those who try to avoid having to pay FICA, FUTA and income tax withholding by mislabeling employees in this way. Upon review of the specifics of the case, the court determined that the employer did not owe these taxes and was entitled to relief under Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978. The case was Nelly Home Care, Inc., DC-Pa., May 10, 2016.
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