Stonehenge Blog — Stonehenge Consulting, PLC

4 ways to address elderly parents in your estate plan

4 ways to address elderly parents in your estate plan

Typically, an estate plan includes accommodations for your spouse, children, grandchildren and even future generations. But you may overlook some older family members, such as your parents or in-laws. They may also need your financial assistance and help with their estate planning.

How can you best handle the financial affairs of parents in the later stages of life? Incorporate their needs into your own estate plan while tweaking, when necessary, the arrangements they’ve already made. Here are five critical steps:

Nikki DaleyNovember 2, 2020Estates

The 2021 “Social Security wage base” is increasing

The 2021 “Social Security wage base” is increasing

If your small business is planning for payroll next year, be aware that the “Social Security wage base” is increasing.

The Social Security Administration recently announced that the maximum earnings subject to Social Security tax will increase from $137,700 in 2020 to $142,800 in 2021.

For 2021, the FICA tax rate for both employers and employees is 7.65% (6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare).

Nikki DaleyNovember 2, 2020Employers, Taxes

Divorcing couples should understand these 4 tax issues

Divorcing couples should understand these 4 tax issues

When a couple is going through a divorce, taxes are probably not foremost in their minds. But without proper planning and advice, some people find divorce to be an even more taxing experience. Several tax concerns need to be addressed to ensure that taxes are kept to a minimum and that important tax-related decisions are properly made. Here are four issues to understand if you’re in the midst of a divorce.

Nikki DaleyNovember 2, 2020Tax Planning, Taxes

Year-end tax planning strategies must take business turbulence into account

Year-end tax planning strategies must take business turbulence into account

Election years often lead to uncertainty for businesses, but 2020 surely takes the cake when it comes to unpredictability. Amid the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, the resulting economic downturn and civil unrest, businesses are on their yearly search for ways to minimize their tax bills — and realizing that some of the typical approaches aren’t necessarily well-suited for this year. On the other hand, several new opportunities have arisen thanks to federal tax relief legislation.

Nikki DaleyNovember 2, 2020Tax Planning, COVID-19, Business

Best practices when forecasting cash flow

Best practices when forecasting cash flow

Cash flow is a top concern for most businesses today. Cash flow forecasts can help you predict potential shortfalls and proactively address working capital gaps. They can also help avoid late payments, identify late-paying customers and find alternative sources of funding when cash is tight. To keep your company’s cash flow positive, consider applying these four best practices.

Nikki DaleyNovember 2, 2020Business, COVID-19

Now more than ever, carefully track payroll records

Now more than ever, carefully track payroll records

The subject of payroll has been top-of-mind for business owners this year. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered economic changes that caused considerable fluctuations in the size of many companies’ workforces. Employees have been laid off, furloughed and, in some cases, rehired. There has also been crisis relief for eligible businesses in the form of the Paycheck Protection Program and the payroll tax credit.

Nikki DaleyNovember 2, 2020Employers, Payroll, COVID-19

Understanding the passive activity loss rules

Understanding the passive activity loss rules

Are you wondering if the passive activity loss rules affect business ventures you’re engaged in — or might engage in?

If the ventures are passive activities, the passive activity loss rules prevent you from deducting expenses that are generated by them in excess of their income. You can’t deduct the excess expenses (losses) against earned income or against other nonpassive income. Nonpassive income for this purpose includes interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, gains and losses from most property dispositions, and income from certain oil and gas property interests. So you can’t deduct passive losses against those income items either.

Nikki DaleyOctober 21, 2020Tax Planning, Taxes, Business

Unusual year steers year-end tax strategies

Unusual year steers year-end tax strategies

Like so many things this year, the recommended practices for your annual end-of-the-year tax planning reflect the COVID-19 pandemic and its far-flung effects. The economic impact, as well as federal relief packages like the CARES Act, may render some tried-and-true strategies for reducing your income tax liability less advisable for 2020.

Nikki DaleyOctober 21, 2020COVID-19, Tax Planning

Avoiding conflicts of interest with auditors

Avoiding conflicts of interest with auditors

A conflict of interest could impair your auditor’s objectivity and integrity and potentially compromise you company’s financial statements. That’s why it’s important to identify and manage potential conflicts of interest.

What is a conflict of interest?

According to the America Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), “A conflict of interest may occur if a member performs a professional service for a client and the member or his or her firm has a relationship with another person, entity, product or service that could, in the member’s professional judgment, be viewed by the client or other appropriate parties as impairing the member’s objectivity.”

Nikki DaleyOctober 21, 2020Audits

Can employers provide disaster relief for COVID-19?

Can employers provide disaster relief for COVID-19?

Many employees have suffered financial hardships because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, some employers may consider offering financial assistance as a fringe benefit. A common question that arises regarding such an idea is: Does the Internal Revenue Code allow disaster relief payments to be made on a tax-advantaged basis specifically in relation to COVID-19?

Nikki DaleyOctober 13, 2020Employers, COVID-19

DOL revises rules on paid sick and family leave related to COVID-19

DOL revises rules on paid sick and family leave related to COVID-19

In August, a federal trial court invalidated several provisions of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) temporary regulations that implemented the paid leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

Nikki DaleyOctober 13, 2020FFCRA, COVID-19, Employers

Gifts in kind: New reporting requirements for nonprofits

Gifts in kind: New reporting requirements for nonprofits

On September 17, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an accounting rule that will provide more detailed information about noncash contributions charities and other not-for-profit organizations receive known as “gifts in kind.” Here are the details.

Nikki DaleyOctober 13, 2020Audits

What tax records can you throw away?

What tax records can you throw away?

October 15 is the deadline for individual taxpayers who extended their 2019 tax returns. (The original April 15 filing deadline was extended this year to July 15 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.) If you’re finally done filing last year’s return, you might wonder: Which tax records can you toss once you’re done? Now is a good time to go through old tax records and see what you can discard.

Nikki DaleyOctober 13, 2020Taxes

There may be relief from tax liability for “innocent spouses”

There may be relief from tax liability for “innocent spouses”

If you file a joint tax return with your spouse, you should be aware of your individual liability. And if you’re getting divorced, you should know that there may be relief available if the IRS comes after you for certain past-due taxes.

Nikki DaleyOctober 13, 2020Taxes, Tax Planning

IRS announces per diem rates for business travel

IRS announces per diem rates for business travel

In Notice 2020-71, the IRS recently announced per diem rates that can be used to substantiate the amount of business expenses incurred for travel away from home on or after October 1, 2020. Employers using these rates to set per diem allowances can treat the amount of certain categories of travel expenses as substantiated without requiring that employees prove the actual amount spent. (Employees must still substantiate the time, place and business purposes of their travel expenses.)

Nikki DaleySeptember 29, 2020Business