What is a hobby loss vs. a deductible business loss?
- David Greene
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A hobby loss is not deductible, but a business loss is. An IRS audit is usually where the question arises: Is this “business” really a business or merely a hobby which continuously loses money? The IRS looks at several factors…
Does working from home change tax implications for businesses and employees?
- David Greene
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An employee’s work from home status will change certain tax implications for both employer and employee. While home office expenses have not been allowed as a deduction for employees since 2018, this year employers can help employees by buying equipment…
What are the most common mistakes made on a tax return?
- David Greene
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Here are the most common mistakes the IRS sees from self-prepared returns: (1) Math errors – be sure to check your math twice; (2) Misspelled name or changed name not updated (be sure the name on the return matches the…
Highlights of the relief bill signed by President Trump in December.
- David Greene
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The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 signed by the President on December 27 is a very comprehensive relief law but here are some of the highlights: (1) It provides a $600 stimulus check for eligible individuals, which have already been issued;…
What to know about gifting stock to a charity.
- David Greene
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There are many alternative ways to donate other than money. One I want to discuss today is the gift of stocks. If you have been holding some stocks for a good while they have probably increased in value with substantial…
Can a self-employed taxpayer still use the home office deduction?
- David Greene
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In a recent blog I discussed that unreimbursed employee expenses for a W-2 employee were no longer allowed as a miscellaneous deduction after 2017. However, that is not true for self-employed taxpayers who report their business on a Schedule C…
Can a W-2 employee deduct unreimbursed employee expenses?
- David Greene
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Prior to 2017, if a W-2 employee had business expenses related to his employment that his employer did not reimburse, he could take a deduction for those expenses. However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 eliminated those deductions…
How should one report non-cash contributions?
- David Greene
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Keeping proper records to support contributions claimed as a tax deduction can be tricky. If you claim cash contributions, you must have a receipt from the charitable group to whom you gave the contribution. Also, the gift must be to…
Can I use my unreimbursed employee mileage expense as a deduction in 2020?
- David Greene
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Unfortunately, you can no longer use mileage on the job as an unreimbursed business expense when you itemize deductions. In my practice I have found that, most of the time, those expenses were disallowed in an audit because the taxpayer…
When is a theft or bad debt loss not deductible?
- David Greene
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You can claim a theft loss as a deduction only if there is no chance of recovering any of the amount stolen. Here the IRS is probably lookiong at the possibility that the owner will have to pay restitution as…